Hunan

Chili-heavy Chinese cooking

Hunan is a province in south-central China, known for its spicy cuisine featuring chili peppers, garlic, and fermented ingredients.

Hunan chicken and Hunan beef are staples of Chinese-American restaurant menus.

The cuisine is often compared to Sichuan, though Hunan dishes tend toward a more direct, less numbing heat.

region

Mao Zedong

landlockedHaving no sea access

cuisine

stir-fry

Quick-cook in hot oil

smokedExposed to wood fumes
steamedHeated by vapor
braisedBrowned and simmered slowly

fermented · pickled · stinky tofu · rice noodles · lotus seeds · tea oil · chili sauce · cured meat · garlic · shallots

spicy

fiery

Intensely hot or passionate

pungentSharply strong-smelling
chiliCapsicum pod or stew
pepperyHaving sharp, hot flavor

hot · burning · capsaicin · sizzling · dried chilies · chili oil · mala · scorching · bold · intense

neighboring

Guangdong

Southeastern Chinese province

ChongqingChinese southwestern megacity
Yangtze RiverChina's longest watercourse
inlandAway from the coast

Categories

Nanling Mountainsgranite peaks, Guangdong
cuisinesItalian cuisine, French cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Mexican cuisine
ChinaBeijing, Shanghai, Great Wall, Yellow River, Chinese calligraphy
East AsiaChina, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Korea
China PlacesBeijing, Shanghai, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square
ProvincesBritish Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Formosa, Nova Scotia

Opposites

spice/heat level in chinese cuisine

Southern Chinese dialect

Cantonese cuisine · Shanghainese · bland · dim sum · subtle

chinese regional/provincial contrast

HunanInner Mongolia

Chinese autonomous region

Tibet · Xinjiang · Guangdong · Hainan · northern China

Phrases

Hunan chickenChili-laden poultry preparation
hunan beefSpicy Chinese meat dish
Hunan cuisineSpicy central Chinese cooking

Family

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G