What is the Hunan cuisine menu?

Hunan cuisine, also known as Xiang cuisine, is also known as Changsha local cuisine. It is one of the eight major cuisines in China with a long history and has been formed in the Han Dynasty. Hunan cuisine is mainly composed of three local flavors: the Xiangjiang River Basin, the Dongting Lake Area, and the Xiangxi Mountain Area. Hunan cuisine is finely crafted, uses a lot of ingredients, has a variety of flavors and varieties; the color is heavy, the color is strong, the taste is affordable, the flavor is rich, and the taste is fresh and tender. Let’s take a look at what Hunan dishes are.

Regional highlights

Xiangjiang River Basin

With Changsha, Hengyang and Xiangtan as its centers, it is the main representative of Hunan cuisine. It is finely crafted, uses a wide range of ingredients, has varied flavors and comes in many varieties. Its characteristics are: heavy oil and rich color, emphasis on practicality, and emphasis on sour, spicy, fragrant, fresh, soft and tender taste. The cooking methods include stewing, braising, steaming and frying. Stewing and braising require cooking over low heat. Stewing will make the flavor penetrate and the juice rich, while stewing will make the soup as clear as a mirror. The methods of making cured meat include smoking, braising, and barbecued pork. The famous Hunan cured meat is a smoked product, which can be served as a cold dish, stir-fried, or steamed with high-quality original soup. Stir-frying highlights the freshness, tenderness, fragrance and spiciness, which is well known to everyone in the market. The famous representative dishes include: "Steamed Sea Cucumber in a Pot", "Steamed Cured Meat", "Braised Pork with Black Beans", "Spicy Chicken", etc., all of which are famous dishes.

Dongting Lake Area

It is famous for cooking river fish, poultry and livestock, and mostly uses stewing, roasting, steaming and curing methods.

Rock Sugar Lotus

Its characteristics are thick starch, oil, salty, spicy, fragrant and soft. Stews are often served in hot pots, while local people cook them in a steamer placed on a clay stove, commonly known as a steamer stove. The stew is often cooked and eaten while adding ingredients. It is piping hot, fresh and tender, and tastes delicious. There is a local folk song that goes "I don't want to enter the court to be a princess consort, I just want the steamer to gurgle", which fully demonstrates that stews are widely loved by the people. The representative dishes include: "Dongting Golden Turtle", "Dongting Mandarin Fish with Net Oil and Barbecued Pork", "Butterfly Floating in the Sea", "Xiang Lotus with Rock Sugar", etc., all of which are famous dishes in the Dongting Lake area that are well-known.

Xiangxi Mountain Area

Xiangxi cuisine excels in making wild game, smoked bacon and various pickled meats. The flavors tend to be salty, fragrant, sour and spicy. Charcoal is often used as fuel, and it has a strong mountain flavor. Representative dishes include: "Braised Cold Mushrooms", "Braised Chinese Cabbage with Chestnuts", "Xiangxi Sour Meat", "Stir-fried Blood Duck", etc., all of which are famous delicacies in Xiangxi.

A look at Hunan cuisine

The common flavors are spicy and cured dishes. Chaotian pepper, which is famous for its strong spicy taste, is produced all over the province and is the main ingredient for making spicy dishes. The production of bacon has a long history, which has been passed down in China for more than 2,000 years. The cuisines of the three regions have their own characteristics, but they are not completely different. Rather, they are different in similarities and similar in differences. They are interdependent and communicate with each other. Looking at the whole picture, the knife work is exquisite, the shape and taste are both beautiful, the seasoning is varied, and it is famous for its sour and spicy taste. It emphasizes the original juice, and the techniques are diverse, especially stewing and roasting. "Day and night, the sound of the river flows down to Dongting Lake." With the advancement of the times and the development of the national economy, the unique flower of Hunan cuisine will bloom more brightly and dazzlingly.