Hunan Cuisine
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Hunan Cuisine
Hunan cuisine, also known as Xiang cuisine, consists of the cuisines of the Xiang River region, Dongting Lake and western Hunan Province in China. It is one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine and is well known for its hot and spicy flavours, fresh aroma and deep colours. Despite this, only about 20% of the cuisine uses capsicum to produce a strong spicy taste. Common cooking techniques include stewing, frying, pot- roasting, braising and smoking. Due to the high agricultural output of the region, ingredients for Hunan dishes are many and varied. History The history of the cooking skills employed in Hunan cuisine dates back to the 17th century. The first mention of chili peppers in local gazettes in the province date to 1684, 21st year of the Kangxi Emperor. During the course of its history, Hunan cuisine assimilated a variety of local forms, eventually evolving into its own style. Some well-known dishes include fried chicken with Sichuan spicy sauce () and ...
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Xiang River
The Xiang River is the chief river of the Lake Dongting drainage system of the middle Yangtze, the largest river in Hunan Province, China. It is the second-largest tributary (after the Min River) in terms of surface runoff, the fifth-largest tributary by drainage area of the Yangtze tributaries. The river flows generally northeast through the provinces of Guangxi and Hunan, its tributaries reaching into Jiangxi and Guangdong. Traditionally, it was regarded that the West (left) Branch is the Main Stream of the Upper Xiang, which rises in the '' Haiyang Mountains'' between Xing'an and Lingchuan counties of Guangxi. In the 1st national water census of China in 2011, the East Branch Xiao River,湘江源头在湖南蓝山, 湘江干流全长948公里, 流域面积94,721平方公里 - When the source stream of the Xiang is the Xiao, beginning in Lanshan County, the main river of the Xiang has a length of with a drainage basin area of :hn.xinhuanet.como was identified as the ...
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Changde
Changde (; Traditional Chinese characters, traditional Chinese: 常德區 ) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Changde, known as "Wuling" in ancient times, is located on the west side of Dongting Lake in the south of the Yangtze, Yangtze River, at the foot of Wuling Mountains, Wuling Mountain. It is historically known as "the throat of Sichuan and Guizhou, and the gateway to Yunnan and Guizhou". In addition to the urban districts, Changde also administers the county-level city of Jinshi City, Jinshi and six counties. Changde is adjacent to Dongting Lake to the east, the city of Yiyang to the south, Wuling Mountains, Wuling and Xuefeng Mountains to the west, and Hubei province to the north. The area has been inhabited by humans since around 8,000 years ago. In that time, the city has changed names several times, but it has been known as Changde since the 12th century. The city is well known for the Battle of Changde during th ...
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Douchi
''Douchi'' is a type of fermented and salted black soybean most popular in the cuisine of China, where they are most widely used for making black bean sauce dishes. Shurtleff, W.; Aoyagi, Abr>History of Fermented Black Soybeans (165 B.C. to 2011) Lafayette, California: Soyinfo Center, 2011 ''Douchi'' is made by fermenting and salting black soybeans using Qu ( zh, c=麹, p=Qū), which is similar or identical to the Miso ferment, Koji. Douchi can be classified as ''Aspergillus''-type Douchi, '' Mucor''-type Douchi, ''Bacterial''-type Douchi, or '' Rhizopus''-type Douchi. There are two main stages to the Douchi making process; first you make the Koji, then there is a prefermentation stage. There can also be a maturation or post fermentation stage, were the Douchi is mixed with other ingredients, like brine, and allowed to age. The black type soybean is most commonly used. The process turns the beans soft, and mostly semi-dry (if the beans are allowed to dry). Regular soybeans ...
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Mandarin Duck
The mandarin duck (''Aix galericulata'') is a perching duck species native to the East Palearctic. It is Sexual dimorphism, sexually dimorphic – the males are elaborately coloured, while the females have more subdued colours. It is a medium-sized duck, at long with a wingspan. It is closely related to the North American wood duck, the only other member of the genus ''Aix (genus), Aix''. is an Ancient Greek word which was used by Aristotle to refer to an unknown diving bird, and is the Latin for a wig, derived from , a cap or bonnet. Outside of its native range, the mandarin duck has a large introduced population in the British Isles and Western Europe, with additional smaller introductions in North America. Taxonomy The mandarin duck was described and illustrated in 1727 by the German explorer Engelbert Kaempfer in his ''The History of Japan''. He wrote: "Of Ducks also there are several differing kinds, and as tame as the Geese. One kind particularly I cannot forbear ment ...
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Hot Pot
Hot pot ( zh, c=, s=wikt:火锅, 火锅, t=wikt:火鍋, 火鍋, p=huǒguō, l=fire pot, first=t) or hotpot, also known as steamboat, is a dish (food), dish of soup/stock (food), stock kept simmering in a cooking pot, pot by a heat source on the table, accompanied by an array of raw meats, vegetables and list of soy-based foods, soy-based foods which diners quickly cook by dipping in broth. Description Hot pot is a flavorful broth traditionally served inside a large metal pot. There are many types of hot pot, like Chongqing hot pot, Beijing hot pot, Yunnan hot pot, and so on. The broth is brought to a boil and left simmering for the duration of the meal. Raw ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, are placed into the simmering broth and thus cooked. The cooked pieces are dipped into dipping sauces for additional flavor. Hot pot is considered a main course and is usually served without rice or noodles on the side. Hot pots can be prepared and eaten at home or in a restaur ...
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Sichuan Pepper
Sichuan pepper (, also known as Sichuanese pepper, Szechuan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, Mountain pepper, and ''mala'' pepper, is a spice commonly used in Sichuan cuisine in China, Bhutan and in northeast India. It is called mejenga in Assam, India. It is called thingey (ཐིང༌ངེ༌) in Bhutan and is used in preparing ezay (a side dish similar to chutney), to add spiciness to rice porridge (ཐུགཔ་), ba-thup and noodle (buckwheat noodles similar to soba) and other snacks. It is extensively used in preparing blood sausage throughout Bhutan, Tibet and China. Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is not closely related to black pepper or chili peppers. It is made from a plant of the genus ''Zanthoxylum'' in the family Rutaceae, which includes citrus and rue. When eaten, Sichuan pepper produces a tingling, numbing effect due to the presence of hydroxy-alpha sanshool. The spice has the effect of transforming other flavors tasted together or shortl ...
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Sichuan Mala
''Mala'' is a numbing and pungent seasoning derived from Szechuan peppercorn and chili. Most commonly, ''mala'' is made into a sauce (麻辣醬 ''málàjiàng'') by simmering it in oil and other spices. Characteristic of Sichuan cuisine, particularly Chongqing cuisine, it has become one of the most popular and synthesized ingredients in Chinese cuisine. Etymology The term ''málà'' is a combination of two Chinese characters: "numbing" ( 麻) and "spicy (piquant)" ( 辣), referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce. The numbness is caused by its characteristic Szechuan pepper, which contains 3% hydroxy-alpha-sanshool. History The precise origins of the dish are unclear, but many sources attribute its development to night markets in Chongqing that targeted pier workers in the 19th to 20th century. Its strong flavors and oils helps preserve foods and mask the unpopular smells of blood and offal. Despite the strong flavor by itself, various dipping sauces ...
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Sichuan Cuisine
Sichuan cuisine or Sichuanese cuisine, alternatively romanized as Szechwan cuisine or Szechuan cuisine (, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is a style of Chinese cuisine originating from Sichuan province and the neighboring Chongqing municipality. Chongqing was formerly a part of Sichuan until 1997; thus, there is a great deal of cultural overlap between the two administrative divisions. There are many regional, local variations of Sichuanese cuisine within Sichuan and Chongqing. It is renowned for fiery and bold tastes, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chilis, as well as the unique flavors of Sichuan (Szechuan) pepper. Some examples are Kung Pao chicken and Yuxiang shredded pork. Four substyles of Sichuan cuisine include Chongqing, Chengdu, Zigong (known for a genre of dishes called yanbangcai), and Buddhist vegetarian style. UNESCO declared Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, a city of gastronomy in 2011. Hi ...
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Garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, stretching from the Black Sea through the southern Caucasus, northeastern Iran, and the Hindu Kush; it also grows wild in parts of Mediterranean Europe. There are two subspecies and hundreds of varieties of garlic. Garlic has been used for thousands of years as a seasoning, culinary ingredient, traditional medical remedy; it was known in many ancient civilizations, including the Babylonians, Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese, and remains significant in many cuisines and folk treatments, especially across the Mediterranean and Asia. Garlic propagates in a variety of climates and conditions and is produced globally; China is by far the largest producer, accounting for over two thirds (73%) of the world's supply in 2021. Description Garli ...
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Shallot
The shallot is a cultivar group of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the difference was too small to justify a separate species. As part of the onion genus ''Allium'', its close relatives include garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, and the Chinese onion. Etymology and names The names '' scallion'' and ''shallot'' are derived from the Old French ''eschalotte'', by way of ''eschaloigne'', from the Latin ''Ascalōnia caepa'' or Ascalonian onion, a ''Ascalōnia caepa'' or Ascalonian onion, a namesake of the ancient city of Ascalon. The term ''shallot'' is usually applied to the French red shallot (''Allium cepa'' var. ''aggregatum'', or the ''A. cepa'' Aggregatum Group). It is also used for the Persian shallot or ''musir'' (''A. stipitatum'') from the Zagros Mountains in Iran and Iraq, and the French gray shallot ('' Allium os ...
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Chili Pepper
Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to add pungency (spicy heat) in many cuisines. Capsaicin and the related Capsaicin#Capsaicinoids, capsaicinoids give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or topical application, applied topically. Chili peppers exhibit a range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the reason behind the availability of different types of chili powder, each offering its own taste and heat level. Chili peppers originated in Central or South America and were first cultivated in Mexico. European explorers brought chili peppers back to the Old World in the late 16th century as part of the Columbian Exchange, which led to the cultivation of List of Capsicum cultivars, multiple varieties across the world for food and traditional medicine. Five ''Capsicum'' sp ...
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Changsha Rice Noodles (20160324062840)
Changsha is the capital of Hunan, China. It is the 15th most populous city in China with a population of 10,513,100, the third-most populous city in Central China, and the most livable city in China, located in the lower reaches of the Xiang River in northeastern Hunan. The city forms a part of the Greater Changsha Metropolitan Region along with Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, also known as the Changzhutan City Cluster. Greater Changsha was named one of the 13 emerging mega-cities in China in 2012 by the Economist Intelligence Unit. It is also a National Comprehensive Transportation Hub, and one of the first National Famous Historical and Cultural Cities in China. Changshanese, a kind of Xiang Chinese, is spoken in the downtown area, while Ningxiangnese and Liuyangnese are also spoken in the counties and cities under its jurisdiction. As of the 2020 Chinese census, the prefecture-level city of Changsha had a population of 10,047,914 inhabitants. Changsha has a history of more tha ...
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