Henan cuisine facts for kids
Henan, also known as Yu cuisine, is the traditional cooking style from the Henan province in China. Henan is in the middle of China. It's often called Zhongzhou or Zhongyuan, which means 'midland'.
Because Henan is surrounded by land, its food mixes styles from nearby areas like Jiangsu and Beijing. This gives Henan cuisine a special blend of tastes. You'll find sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty flavors. But Henan food doesn't go to extremes; it's known for a balanced mix of tastes.
Henan has a long history, and its food is one of China's oldest cooking styles. Chefs use more than 50 different ways to cook Henan dishes. People in Henan love food and have always tried to combine different tastes from northern and southern China into their dishes.
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A Taste of History: How Henan Cuisine Grew
The story of Henan cuisine goes way back to ancient times, like the Xia Dynasty (around 21st to 17th century BC). During this time, Henan food changed a lot as new cooking ideas came from nearby regions. By the end of the Xia Dynasty, there were even special meals based on Henan dishes.
When the Shang Dynasty began (around 17th century BC), Henan cuisine got new seasonings. These new flavors helped create a more balanced taste, which became a base for many later Chinese cooking styles.
Henan cuisine became super popular during the Northern Song Dynasty (around 960 – 1127 AD). The capital city was set up in Kaifeng, Henan. This led to lots of new snacks being invented. Fried foods also became very popular as people got better at frying.
Around this time, Henan cuisine started to have different dishes for different people. There were special meals for the emperor's court, for rich families, for markets, for temples, and for regular homes.
After the Southern Song Dynasty fell (around 1170 – 1180 AD), Henan cuisine changed. The support from the emperors was important for the food's special style. Without it, the different levels of dishes started to mix. Over time, this mix of old Henan styles and new influences from places like Beijing and Jiangsu helped Henan cuisine become what it is today.
Culture and Cuisine: The Henan Connection
Chinese food is often closely connected to the culture of its home. Henan cuisine is no different. It focuses on the idea of balance and harmony in most of its dishes.
Since Henan is surrounded by land, you can see influences from neighboring regions in its culture and its food. One thing that has changed in Henan cuisine is the use of animal fat. In the past, animal fat was often used to fry foods. But now, because of influences from other regions and growing health concerns, it's used less often.
Henan is one of China's oldest provinces. Its location in the middle of the country, near four ancient capitals (Anyang, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, and Kaifeng), has made it a place where different food cultures have come together. This mixing has created a unique cooking style.
The name Yu cuisine refers to the special way certain dishes are cooked. The cooking methods often come from the region where the dish first appeared.
What Makes Henan Cuisine Special?
Henan cuisine shares some similarities with Jiangsu cuisine, especially in how it balances flavors. But it also has its own unique features:
- Onions are Key: Henan cuisine uses a lot of onions. They are a very important part of many dishes.
- Different Meats for Different Dishes: Pork is a main meat in Henan cuisine, but it's not often used in soups. For soups, people usually choose mutton or lamb.
- Wheat is a Staple: Like other parts of northern China, wheat is the main crop in most of Henan. So, you'll find many wheat-based foods, like shaobing (a type of flatbread), are commonly eaten.
Traditional Henan Dishes to Try
Many dishes show off the traditional style of Henan cuisine. Here are a few popular ones:
- Wuxiang shaobing: This is a five-spiced bread often served with pork cooked in different ways.
- Hu La Soup: A famous spicy soup.
- Luoyang Water Banquet: This is a soup that uses fancy cooking techniques. Egg slices are even carved to look like peony flowers, which are popular in Zhengzhou.
- Kaifeng Tai Si Bao: This interesting dish is made by stuffing one bird into a bigger one. They are then glazed with animal fats and steamed with vegetables. It's often served as a main course with bread.
- Carp on Noodles: This dish comes from Kaifeng. It features steamed carp covered in deep-fried noodles, served with a sweet and sour soup.
- Jiao Hua Ji: This is a very old and unique dish. A chicken is covered with mud and then roasted. If it's not opened, the chicken can last for a couple of days! This shows how ancient Chinese people cooked meat without many tools.
- Bianjing Roasted Duck and Grilled Head and Tail of Black Carp: These two dishes show how sweet and sour tastes are used in cooked meats.
Famous Henan Restaurants
- Rocky's Diner
- You Le ZiDong Restaurant
- Henan Cuisine and Opera
- Hilton Zhengzhou
- ZAX BBQ
- Speed Bar
- Bowango Restaurant
- Henan Food House
The Heart of Henan Cuisine
Henan dishes offer many tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty. The history of Henan cuisine is fascinating. It's said that Prime Minister Yiyin, who is seen as the start of Chinese cooking, wanted to season Henan food with all these tastes.
Henan cuisine focuses on balance and harmony, not just one strong flavor. This spirit of balance in the food is like the spirit of the people of Henan. Henan cuisine mixes different cooking styles and adds important cultural elements. For example, because of its location, Henan food shows how different cultures can mix in harmony through its flavors.
Henan cuisine also has deep roots in China's history, going back to the 21st century BC. Instead of getting rid of old ways, this cooking style has welcomed changes over time. This has created the modern Henan cuisine we see today. So, Henan cuisine is not just food; it's a reflection of the culture and history of the region.
