Hunan's dry, spicy delights
0 
Relics unearthed from a Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) tomb in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, are evidence of local people's early cooking of various dishes: not only the bones of fish, pigs and cows but also pickled fruits and vegetables.
Located in central and south China, the region has distinctive seasons, abundant rainfall and plenty of sunshine which have all contributed to the development of Hunan cuisine.
Ross Terrill, the renowned Harvard professor, once described Hunan as "an abundant and fertile inland province which has been honored as 'the land of rice and fish'." He added that the people are straightforward.
The heavy style and hot flavors of the cuisine reflect the resource-rich land and the bold and unrestrained character of Hunan people. Their addiction to spicy food can be attributed to the region's wet climate.
People believe that the chili spice is effective in getting rid of the affects of humidity and rheumatic afflictions and is also important in stimulating the appetite.
If you visit the Dong and Miao ethnic people in Hunan Province they usually welcome you with a dish of stewed meat cooked with dried chili. During a meal, they will warmly invite you to take more chili rather than meat, a clear indication of their passion for the hot seasoning.
Actually people in China's western and southern areas are all keen on spicy food. The differences are that Sichuan people prefer m(r)°èl(r)°? (hot and numbing) food, Guizhou people usually like it xi(r)°?ngl(r)°? (aromatic and hot), Yunnan people have a crush on xi(r)°?nl(r)°? (pure spicy), Shaanxi people focus on xi(r)°ènl(r)°? (salty and spicy) and Hunan people are more interested in g(r)°?nl(r)°? and su(r)°?nl(r)°? (dry spicy and sour spicy).
Go to Forum >>0 Comments