Đắk Lắk Province

Village-raised free-range chicken marinated in lemongrass, mắc khén, and wild honey then grilled over wood fire - leaner and more flavourful than any lowland chicken, a staple at Ê Đê longhouse gatherings

Highland catfish hotpot in a light sour broth with lemongrass, dill, and fresh vegetables - cá lăng from Đắk Lắk's clean mountain rivers has firm, sweet flesh prized across the Central Highlands

Sticky rice cooked in fresh bamboo tubes over an open fire - the bamboo infuses the rice with a faint woody sweetness, eaten with grilled meat and sesame salt at highland markets

Rice vermicelli in a rich annatto-red pork bone broth with pork hock, fried tofu, and fresh herbs - Buôn Ma Thuột's signature noodle soup, distinct from any coastal or delta version with its deep, slightly smoky highland flavour