Ninh Thuận Province

Raw silverside fish salad cured in lime juice from Ninh Thuận's rocky coast - the tiny translucent fish turn white in the acid then are tossed with toasted sesame, roasted peanuts, green mango, fresh herbs, and Lý Sơn-style chilli, eaten at beachside shacks along Ninh Chữ and Vĩnh Hy bay

Miniature rice flour pancakes cooked in clay moulds over charcoal with quail egg, spring onion, and dried shrimp - the Phan Rang version is the crispiest and most savoury of all bánh căn styles, eaten with a fermented fish and chilli dipping sauce at stalls that have operated in the same spot for generations

Sizzling crispy rice crepe with shrimp and bean sprouts - the Ninh Thuận version uses a thinner, crispier batter than the southern style with more turmeric, stuffed with fresh local shrimp from the coast and eaten wrapped in mustard leaf and rice paper with a tangy fish sauce

Rice vermicelli with fresh jellyfish from Ninh Thuận's coastal waters - the jellyfish is blanched until firm and sliced into strips, served in a light fish broth with fried fish cake and fresh herbs, the crunchy gelatinous texture of the jellyfish unique to this south-central coast specialty

Poached chicken rice from Phan Rang - free-range chicken slow-cooked in a lemongrass and ginger broth then served over rice cooked in the same stock with turmeric, topped with shredded chicken, crispy shallots, and a sharp ginger-chilli sauce, the dry climate giving the local chicken a firmer and more flavourful meat

Grilled rice paper spread with fermented shrimp paste, chilli oil, and spring onion - the Ninh Thuận version uses locally produced mắm ruốc with a saltier, more concentrated flavour than the Tây Ninh style, eaten at evening markets in Phan Rang where the dry desert wind fans the charcoal grills

Lamb from Ninh Thuận's semi-arid grasslands where sheep graze on salt grass and wild coastal herbs - grilled over charcoal, thinly sliced for hotpot, or stir-fried with lemongrass and curry leaf, the meat has a uniquely mild, clean flavour without gaminess, eaten at lamb-specialist restaurants throughout Phan Rang