Termite mushrooms are a natural delicacy gifted by nature to humans. Growing wild in nature, they are clean, non-toxic, highly aromatic, delicious, and nutritious. Stir-fried termite mushrooms with angled loofah is easy to prepare and has a naturally sweet, appetizing taste. Hot termite mushroom porridge is perfect for rainy afternoons.
Stir-fried termite mushrooms with angled loofah
Termite mushrooms have natural nutritional content, helping to boost immunity, combat aging, and inhibit the growth of viruses. From mid-April to July in the lunar calendar each year, across the garden regions of Đồng Tháp, An Giang, Vĩnh Long, Cần Thơ, Trà Vinh, leading up to rubber plantations and fruit orchards in Bình Dương, Bình Phước, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, along the Central Highlands provinces all the way to the northern highlands of Việt Bắc, wherever there are termite mounds pushing up soil, you can find mushrooms sprouting and multiplying from spores nurtured by the termite queen’s saliva combined with plant microorganisms.
According to local experience, termite mushrooms grow quickly but also fade fast, so to pick intact mushrooms that haven’t fully opened, you must go out before dawn (around 3-4 a.m.).
Termite mushrooms have a tender yet firm texture, with an aromatic, sweet, and delicious flavor similar to chicken, which is why they are also called “kê nhục” (chicken meat). They are often prepared in many delicious dishes such as soup, stir-fry, or dried for use in vegetarian meals…
Stir-fried termite mushrooms alone are already tasty, but when combined with other ingredients, the flavor becomes exponentially more delicious. Just a bit of termite mushrooms and one angled loofah is enough to make a mouthwatering stir-fry dish for a family meal.
After harvesting, the mushrooms are washed clean, larger ones split in half, soaked in lightly salted water for a few minutes, rinsed again with clean water, then drained and ready to use.
Hot termite mushroom porridge
This mushroom cannot be cultivated, so even with money, it’s often hard to buy. Termite mushrooms are considered a precious and rare delicacy. With their naturally mild sweetness and distinctive aroma, they can be used to make many delicious dishes.
On rainy and windy days, steaming hot termite mushroom porridge is definitely a delicious dish you can’t miss. Preparing this porridge doesn’t take much time, but you need to know how to handle the mushrooms properly. According to local experience, to give the porridge a sweet and delicious flavor like chicken, you shouldn’t cut the mushrooms with a knife but tear them by hand. After washing clean, tear the mushrooms into bite-sized strips by hand. Sauté aromatic garlic, add the mushrooms and lightly stir-fry with a bit of seasoning to absorb the flavors.
Wait until the porridge has fully bloomed, add the stir-fried mushrooms, bring to a boil again, season to taste, then turn off the heat. Ladle the porridge into bowls, sprinkle with chopped green onions, cilantro, pepper, and enjoy while hot. Termite mushroom porridge captivates with its natural sweetness—even without bone broth, MSG, or sugar, it has an amazingly clean and refreshing sweet taste. It also has high nutritional value, effectively helping to clear heat and promote bowel movement.
In addition, with its unique flavor that other mushrooms don’t have, and being easy to prepare, people in the Western region have created many specialty dishes from termite mushrooms.
