HunanCuisine
Hunan Cuisine, also known as ' Xiang' Cuisine is renowned as one of the Eight Cuisines of China. It is features a fine and delicate appearance together with a hot and spicy flavor. The chefs cut the vegetables into fascinating shapes and patterns and use them to create a handsome assortment of cold dishes. Each dish tells its own story.
Like China's southwestern Sichuan Province, the major part of the Hunan Province is a lowland area with relatively high humidity. Therefore, as with the people of Sichuan, the local people have developed the habit of eating capsicum to combat the humidity and induce a feeling of coolness. Hunan Cuisine has a hot and strong savor. Typical of this cuisine is the famous seasoning called Liuyang Lobster Sauce. This is a kind of bean sauce made with pepper and capsicum that is often added to dishes to create a hot flavor.
In contrast with the more widely recognized quick stir fry method of Chinese cooking, gentle simmering is an important feature of Hunan Cuisine. By preparing the food over a low heat and allowing it to simmer slowly the nutritional value is maintained while developing an exciting fresh flavor.
Quality restaurants in Changsha offer a range of special dishes from different parts of Hunan. These restaurants usually have a luxury environment with excellent service than you would expect to find in the more ordinary food shops and this is reflected in the prices one has to pay. The most famous of these are the Golden Sun Restaurant (Jin Taiyang Jiujia) and West Lake Restaurant (Xihu Lou Jiujia).
Featured Hunan Specials
Three-Boxed Birds (San Ceng Tao Ji)
This name may seem a little strange and doesn't tell the story clearly. It was said that in 1920s, an official's wife had a stubborn headache and a doctor suggested that she buy a sparrow, a pigeon and a black-bone hen as ingredients for a Chinese herbal medicine soup. The doctor first put the small sparrow into the pigeon and then put the pigeon into the black-bone hen, hence the name three-boxed birds. Then the boxed birds were steamed with herbs for a long time and the finished dish comprised both the soup and meat for eating. The story doesn't say whether the lady's headache was cured or not. However, the dish became popular in the country.
Crisp Sesame Duck (Maren Xiangsu Ji)
A duck is fried in peanut oil until its skin turns golden. Spicy seasonings and sesame oil are then added to the fried duck. The finished duck is cut into pieces and made into assorted cold dishes. It is crisp, tender and has a savory taste.
Non-Yolk Eggs with Mushroom (Huagu Wu Danhuang)
No one will be surprised by a plate of eggs with a mushroom soup. However, when you try it, you will find the tender eggs have no yolk inside and the delicious soup will melt in your mouth.
The chef makes a tiny hole in the bottom of the eggshells and removes the eggs. Then the egg white with a prepared chicken soup and salt are put back into the shells again and cooked. The most delicate of these will have a smooth cover and tender taste.
Spicy Chicken Cubes (Mala Zi Ji)
This is probably the most typical local dish. It was said that the one who hasn't eaten this dish equals is one who has never eaten Hunan Cuisine.
Simply stir-fry the chicken dices with pepper, capsicum, vinegar, shaohsing wine over high heat. The finished dish should have a bright color and spicy flavor. It is easy to describe, but very hard to cook. The best place to enjoy it is Yuloudong
Restaurant.Flavored Snack Food – Let's get hot
Huogongdian (Fire Palace) - featured snacks
In the central part of Pozi Jie Street, there is an eye-catching palace building, which was originally a temple where people offered oblation for a fire deity. Later, it becomes a gathering place for people and each year on the Fire Deity Day, they will hold sacrifice ceremony, temple fairs and other activities. Merchant traders, food stalls and shops which provide visitors with a variety of food constantly attend.
Today, the two-storied building has been decorated in a simple and antique style, in which are several snack shops and restaurants. It is the best place to sample the local snacks. Their most famous snacks include
Fried Stinky tofu (Smelly tofu)
Don't be scared away by the word 'stinky' in its name, although it does not smell very good and has an awkward appearance, it tastes quite pleasant. The outside is crisp with a little salty savor and the interior is tender. It was said that Chairman Mao Zedong tried this snack when he visited the city in 1958.
Sisters' Rice Balls
These are a kind of rice balls with fillings of meat or sugar. The meatballs have mushroom pieces, meat, and spring onions inside and are made into the shape of pomegranate while the sweet balls have the fillings of sugar, dates, meat and sweet-scented osmanthus and often resemble a peach. On the day of happy events, the two are presented in contrasting colors to create a happy atmosphere.
Blood
While western cuisine includes the use of pig's blood to create Black Pudding, Blutwurst, etc., in China it is customary to collect the blood of all manner of freshly killed livestock and fowls. The blood is stirred until it congeals when it is sealed and refrigerated until ready for use. The resultant cakes are cut into pieces and stewed in spicy soups.
Jiao Yan San Zi
This is a wheat pasta dish fried in oil. Noodles are made from flour, fat a little water and some salt together with spicy flavoring and a little sugar. These are twisted together and then fried in oil. It is a popular dim sum that the local people have for breakfast.
Nanmenkou& Shahejie – Spicy Shrimps
If the Fried Stinky tofu of Huogongdian (Fire Palace) with a 250 year old history tells of the city's past, Kou Wei Xia (Stir-fry Spicy Shrimp) another popular choice near the area of Nanmenkou and Shahejie is a present day story.
The thing that earns the street its reputation is Kou Wei Xia (Stir-fry Spicy Shrimp), another popular market food for Changsha people. The shrimps are lightly boiled in hot water until they turn red. They are then sautéed in cooking oil, with hot chili, ginger, peppers, salt and garlic sauce, shallots and preserved bean curd for just twenty seconds when cooking wine and some water are added. The shrimps are then cooked for a further ten minutes to give them a spicy flavor. The resultant dish is spicy and hot, which is earns it a three peppers indicator on the menu which means it is the hottest. That's Changsha people's favorite! The king of the street is the Sixijie Restaurant on this dining street.
In addition, there are other delicious foods including duck dishes, cold dishes, soups, noodles and dumplings.
Each evening, an array of food stalls and shops near the area of Nanmenkou appear with bowls of bright color shrimps and none can resist the temptation! The crowed market will last late into the night until about three or even four o'clock.
Wulipai – Steamed Dishes
Wulipai Street near the Changsha Railway Station is a good place to find homely dishes at reasonable prices. Jianjun Restaurant on this street is the king of steamed dishes. Here a variety of ingredients ranging from taro to fish, assorted meats and vegetables are steamed in earthen bowls. Two or three bowls of these dishes and rice can feed two couples well.
There are also many restaurants of this kind near Cai'e Nanlu.
Other snacks
Spiced Duck
This is a kind of spiced duck which has been braised in seasoned soups and cooled for eating. One that has been well prepared will be in a delicious brawn.
Deyuan Dumplings (Bao Zi)
Deyuan, a teahouse in the busy area of Huangxing Nanlu, is said to be a century-old place. The traditional Chinese dumplings they make are boasted the best in the city and have a really toothsome appearance. They have fillings of meat, vegetables, shrimps or sweetened beans and others.
Liudefang Tang Yuan
Tang Yuan, is a sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice or wheat flour and is the most popular food for the Chinese Lantern Festival. There is a legend that says one day Liudeyuan, a poor man who lived during the reign of Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty (1821 – 1850), found a shoe-shaped silver ingot in the flour he bought. This flour enabled him to make good quality Tang Yuan and his business thrived. Today's Liudefang Restaurant is said to be the best place to taste it.
Where to Eat
Best of the Best - Highly recommended by visitors
Huogongdian (Fire Palace) Restaurant
First Branch: No. 46, Pozi Jie
Second Branch: No. 258, Laodong Lu
Third Branch: No. 107, Wuyi Donglu
NamelessRestaurant
A small restaurant where you can taste the authentic Changsha dishes with the real taste that is so popular with local people; reasonable priced and recommended as the Number One for visitors.
Address: No. 547, third section of Furong Zhonglu
PlumGardenShrimps
It is a time-honored restaurant, renowned to be the best of best place to sample the delicious Kou Wei Xia (Spicy Shrimps). Highly recommended!
Address: No. 42, Yinxing Lu, near the Bayi Bridge
Yuloudong
It is this restaurant that brought the famous Spicy Chicken Cubes into the life of Changshas people and visitors throng to sample this typical dish.
Address: near the Changsha Railway Station
MonaLisa Restaurant[Western Style]
This Euro-style restaurant provides western style food, ice cream and drinks. 150-200 yuan will cover enough for three people. The atmosphere is quite good.
Address: Furong Lu
Dyou Coffee [Western Style]
Address: 2nd floor in Yuhua Building, Furong Zhonglu, near the crossing of Renmin Lu
Travel Group's Choices
Muslim Donglaixing Restaurant
Address: No. 1, Wuyi Xilu
Tianxin Fried Chicken
Address: No. 97, Jiefang Donglu
Circle Restaurant
Address: 29th floor, Zhongshan Hotel at No. 69, Huangxing Zhonglu
Century-Old Restaurants
The best can only stand test of time, do not miss them.
Dongjiujia at No. 9, Bayi Donglu
Changsha Doupi at No. 44, Huangxing Zhonglu
Shuangyan Wonton at No. 179, Huangxing Nanlu
Tianjin Snacks at No. 73, Jiefang Lu
Yangyuxing Noodle at Jiefang Lu
Ganchangshun Noodle at No. 1, Zoumalou
Xinhualou Noodle at No. 20, Wuyi Xilu
