Every year, from late May to early June, as the Tây Nguyên forest bathes in the sun, the Rơ Măm people of Le Village (Mo Rai Commune, Sa Thầy District, Kon Tum Province) enter the season of crafting yellow ant fish salad – a renowned delicacy, exclusively found in this region.

 The name "yellow ant fish salad" alone sparks curiosity. Many might hesitate upon witnessing its unique preparation, but a single taste will captivate diners with its refreshing sourness, rich fattiness, and distinct, unforgettable aroma.

The Rơ Măm are one of Vietnam's smallest ethnic groups, with fewer than 500 inhabitants living collectively in Le Village. Having a long-standing bond with the forest, they possess a treasure trove of wild cuisine. Among these, yellow ant fish salad (called Plat in Rơ Măm language) is the most precious dish – both nutritious and deeply culturally significant.

The salad is made from fresh stream fish – small, firm-fleshed varieties – combined with yellow ant eggs and their bodies. According to the local people's experience, only young ant nests or those abundant with eggs are chosen, collected during the dry season when the ant eggs are plump, opaque white, and fragrant.

After collection, the ants are cleaned, lightly roasted, or sun-dried until firm. The stream fish is also cleaned, finely pounded, and squeezed dry to remove any fishy smell. These two ingredients are then mixed with rock salt, forest pepper, green chili, and roasted rice powder (thính gạo) to create a salad blend. This mixture offers the sweetness of fish, the sourness of ants, the richness of ant eggs, and the distinct spiciness of the forest's chili.

If roasted rice powder is added, the dish is called Trót IagLia, boasting a more aromatic and flavorful profile.

Yellow ant fish salad isn't a daily meal; it's typically prepared during Tết, festivals, or when welcoming esteemed guests. It's not just a delicious dish but also a profound expression of the Rơ Măm people's affection and hospitality.

According to village elders, this dish has existed for a very long time, forming a part of their culinary heritage passed down by their ancestors. Today, elders continue to teach younger generations how to prepare the dish as a way of preserving their ethnic identity.

The way to enjoy yellow ant fish salad is also quite unique. The Rơ Măm often wrap the salad with various forest leaves, such as Barringtonia acutangula (lộc vừng), young mango leaves, or fig leaves , and pair it with ghè wine (cần wine). The sweetness of the fish blends with the slight sourness of the ants, the richness of the eggs, the fiery kick of forest chili, and the slightly bitter notes of the forest leaves. This creates an incredibly stimulating flavor combination – truly unlike any other fish salad.