Specialty of mice eating ginseng seeds to treat distinguished guests at Ngoc Linh mountain

The Xe Dang people in the Central Highlands save rat meat for holidays, weddings, and to serve to guests.

Panax vietnamensis

Panax vietnamensis is mainly grown in the mountainous communes of Ngoc Linh, Nam Tra My district (Quang Nam), Dak To district (Kon Tum). After a period of over-exploitation, it was thought that the precious ginseng species had been exhausted, but it has now been re-established on an area of ​​hundreds of hectares in Tu Mo Rong district (Kon Tum). The 2,600m high mountain peak is foggy and humid all year round, with only mountain rats, squirrels and pheasants living there. They eat everything related to ginseng, so it is considered a "noble" dish by the locals.

The Ngoc Linh mountain area is inhabited by the Xe Dang ethnic group. During every Tet holiday, holiday, housewarming, engagement, and wedding, there must be dishes of rat, bird, and pig meat hung in the kitchen to entertain distinguished guests. 

"The ginseng-eating mountain rats usually have reddish-yellow fur, which is difficult to detect with the naked eye because they resemble leaves, so you have to observe carefully to catch them," said A Luan in Mang Ri commune (Tu Mo Rong district).

Mice often appear when Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds are ripe. To catch these clever mountain mice, the Xe Dang people make simple traps in rock crevices and tree roots where mice often live. When mice pass by and get caught in the trap, a rock falls and crushes them. Or when they discover mice destroying ginseng, people look for footprints or noises on the leaves and then drop bait in a fixed place. After 2-3 days, they set traps or use slingshots to shoot them. People understand the habits of mountain mice quite well, so they often go hunting at night.

Around this forest, more than 300 people work to look after the ginseng garden. Most of them are men, each local person is in charge of a ginseng growing area day and night. Ngoc Linh peak is windy and rainy all year round, so they often gather around the fire. The smoke from the fire cooks food and dries clothes.

Every morning after hunting, people would clean the rats and hang them in the kitchen until they dried out to prevent them from rotting.

Mountain rats are the most delicious meat among all the animals in Ngoc Linh mountain. Whenever they catch a rat, people keep it for themselves and do not sell it.

Whenever important guests come to their house, the Xe Dang people will bring out mice to entertain them. When they take the mice down from the kitchen loft, they will beat off all the soot (coal dust), wash them, and put them on the grill.

Grilled rats are best eaten hot and enjoyed around the fire with wine.

Rat meat has a fragrant smell, is chewy, has a slightly bitter taste, crispy bones, and crispy skin.