Hunan province is located in the south-central part, on the south bank of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The climate here is warm, the rainfall is abundant, the sun shines, and the four seasons are distinct. In the south, there is Yueheng Mountain in Xiong Qi. Superior natural conditions are conducive to the development of family, animal husbandry, fishery and xianglian. This is a famous land of fish and rice. According to Records of the Historian, Chu is "rich in terrain and has no hunger". For a long time, the proverb "the lake is wide and ripe, and the world is full" has been widely circulated. Southeast Hunan is hilly and basin, and agriculture, animal husbandry and by-product fishery are well developed. Xiangxi is mountainous and rich in bamboo shoots, mushrooms and rare game. Rich products are diet and bamboo shoots, mushrooms and delicious food in the mountainous areas of western Hunan. In the long-term food culture and cooking practice, Hunan people have created a variety of dishes. According to research, as early as the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, Changsha could cook all kinds of delicious food by steaming, boiling, boiling and other cooking methods. With the development of history and the continuous exchange of cooking skills, three local flavors of Hunan cuisine have gradually formed: Xiangjiang River Basin, Dongting Lake Area and Xiangxi Mountain Area.
Hunan cuisine is centered on Changsha, Hengyang and Xiangtan, and is the main representative of Hunan cuisine. It has fine production, extensive materials, diverse tastes and various varieties. Its characteristics are: strong oil color, emphasis on practical benefits, heavy sour and spicy taste, heavy sour and spicy taste, fragrant and fresh, soft and tender. In the production method, it is known as simmering, stewing, waxing, steaming and frying. Stew and stew pay attention to small fire cooking, thick juice stew, clear soup like a mirror; The production methods of bacon include smoking, marinating and barbecued pork. The famous Hunan bacon is a kind of heavy tobacco product, which can be cold dishes, stir-fried or steamed with high-quality original soup. Cooking is fresh, tender, fragrant and spicy, which is well known in the market. The famous representative dishes are: "Steamed sea cucumber in pot", "Steamed bacon", "Braised pork and lobster sauce" and "Spicy chicken", all of which are famous dishes and delicacies.
The dishes in Dongting Lake area are good at cooking fresh rivers, poultry and livestock. Generally, they are mainly stewed, roasted and waxed, and are characterized by thick oil, salty, spicy and soft. Stews are often dominated by hot pot, while folks use steamed bowls to stew on mud stoves, commonly known as steamed bowl stoves. Often cooked while eating, hot and tender, with relish. There is a local folk song called "I don't want to go to the DPRK to attach a horse, just steam the cooker", which fully shows that stew is widely loved by the people. Representative dishes are: "Golden Tortoise in Dongting Lake", "Braised Mandarin Fish in Pure Oil in Dongting Lake", "Butterfly on the Sea" and "Rock Sugar Xianglian", all of which are famous dishes in Dongting Lake area.
Xiangxi cuisine is good at making game, smoked bacon and all kinds of bacon. It tastes salty, sweet and sour, and often uses firewood as fuel, with strong mountain flavor. Representative dishes are: "Braised and Sour", "Boiled Chestnut Heart", "Xiangxi Sour Meat" and "Duck with Blood Oil", all of which are well-known delicacies in Xiangxi.
Throughout Hunan cuisine, spicy and bacon dishes have the same flavor. Pepper is famous for its strong spicy taste, which is produced all over the province and is the main raw material for making spicy dishes. Cuisine has its own characteristics, but it is not completely different. Instead, it seeks differences from the same, sees similarities in the differences, is interdependent and communicates with each other. Looking at the overall situation, the knife work is exquisite, the shape and taste are good, the seasoning is changeable, the sour and spicy are famous, the original flavor is emphasized, and the techniques are diverse, especially the simmering. As the saying goes, the river sounds at night and goes down to the Dongting. With the progress of the times and the development of national economy, this wonderful flower of Hunan cuisine will bloom more brilliantly.