Hengyang, a famous historical and cultural city in the land of Hunan, is like a bright pearl shining by the Xiangjiang River. It not only has a profound cultural heritage and beautiful natural scenery but also boasts unique and charming cuisine. These delicacies are like precious treasures scattered in the corners of the city, waiting for food lovers to discover and savor. Now, let’s embark on this culinary journey in Hengyang to experience those mouth – watering special dishes.
Hengyang Marinated Noodles
Hengyang Marinated Noodles are the iconic business card of Hengyang cuisine, deeply loved by both locals and tourists. Its production process is unique, and the brine is the soul of the marinated noodles. Usually, the store uses pig bones and beef bones, paired with a variety of spices such as cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, and Chinese prickly ash, and slowly simmers them over low heat for a long time to obtain this pot of rich – colored and fragrant brine. The rice noodles are mostly wet noodles handmade locally, with a flexible texture and a smooth taste. When eating, blanch the rice noodles in boiling water for a while, then drain and put them in a bowl. Pour a spoonful of steaming brine over the noodles, then lay marinated pork slices, golden and crispy fried soybeans, and tender vegetables on top. Finally, sprinkle scallions, coriander, and chili oil according to personal taste. A bowl of authentic Hengyang Marinated Noodles features mellow brine, chewy noodles, fatty but not greasy pork slices, and crispy soybeans. The flavors of various ingredients blend together, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste. In the streets and alleys of Hengyang, marinated noodle shops can be seen everywhere. The price of a bowl of marinated noodles is usually around 8 – 15 yuan, making it a popular choice for locals’ breakfast and late – night snacks.
Fish Head and Tofu Soup
Fish Head and Tofu Soup is a classic home – cooked dish in Hengyang, well – known for its delicious taste and rich nutrition. This dish usually uses fresh and plump bighead carp heads from local reservoirs or lakes. After cleaning the fish head, fry it in a hot oil pan with scallions, ginger, and garlic until both sides turn golden brown. At this time, the surface of the fish head is slightly crispy, and the aroma is overwhelming. Then add enough water, put in small pieces of tender tofu, bring to a boil over high heat, and then simmer over low heat. During the simmering process, the deliciousness of the fish head gradually seeps into the soup, and the tofu also absorbs the flavor of the fish soup, becoming even more tender and smooth. When the soup turns milky white and a strong fresh aroma wafts out, a delicious Fish Head and Tofu Soup is ready. Before serving, sprinkle a handful of green coriander, which not only adds a bit of color to the dish but also brings a fresh fragrance. This soup has a rich taste, tender fish head, smooth tofu, and a thick soup. It is both nutritious and delicious, and it is a popular dish for family gatherings and restaurant feasts. In restaurants in Hengyang, the price of a portion of Fish Head and Tofu Soup is about 30 – 50 yuan. The specific price may fluctuate depending on the size of the fish head and the restaurant’s grade.
Leiyang Rice Sheets
Leiyang Rice Sheets are a special delicacy in Leiyang area of Hengyang, with a unique production process and flavor. It uses high – quality rice as the raw material. After soaking the rice for several hours, it is ground into a fine rice milk. Pour the rice milk evenly onto a special steaming plate and steam it in a steamer to form thin, translucent rice sheets as thin as cicada wings. The made rice sheets can be eaten in various ways. Cold – dressed rice sheets are a common way. Cut the rice sheets into strips, add minced garlic, light soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, scallions, and other seasonings, and stir well. The sour, spicy, and delicious seasonings complement the smooth rice sheets, making it refreshing and appetizing. You can also stir – fry the rice sheets with shredded meat, bean sprouts, vegetables, and other ingredients. The rice sheets absorb the flavors of the ingredients, resulting in a rich taste. In addition, it can be made into a rice sheet soup by adding shredded meat, egg flower, vegetables, etc. to the soup, and it tastes delicious. In local snack stalls and restaurants in Leiyang, you can taste Leiyang Rice Sheets cooked in various ways. The price of a portion of cold – dressed or stir – fried rice sheets is about 10 – 20 yuan, and the price of rice sheet soup is around 15 – 25 yuan.
Changning Jelly
Changning Jelly is a traditional special snack in Changning, Hengyang. It has a cool and smooth texture and is a good summer – cooling product in the local area. Its main raw material is the local unique jelly grass. Wash the jelly grass, put it in a pot, add water, and boil it until the jelly grass is soft and rotten. Then filter out the grass juice with a strainer. Add an appropriate amount of lime water (which plays a role in solidification) to the grass juice, stir well, and let it stand and cool. When it solidifies into a jelly – like state, Changning Jelly is made. When eating, cut the jelly into small pieces, put them in a bowl, and add brown sugar water, mint water, raisins, crushed peanuts, and other seasonings. The sweetness of the brown sugar water, the coolness of the mint water, the sweet – and – sour taste of the raisins, and the crispness of the crushed peanuts, combined with the smooth jelly, create a rich taste and a cooling and refreshing feeling. Changning Jelly can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys of Changning, and it can also be tasted in some dessert shops and snack stalls in Hengyang. The price of a portion of Changning Jelly is usually 5 – 10 yuan.
Hengdong Local Dishes
Hengdong Local Dishes occupy an important position in Hengyang cuisine with their strong local characteristics and unique flavors. Hengdong Local Dishes focus on the freshness of ingredients and the original taste. The cooking methods mainly include stir – frying, stewing, and steaming. Among them, Stir – Fried Native Chicken with Huanggong Chili is a classic dish. Select local free – range native chickens, cut them into small pieces, and stir – fry them with Huanggong Chili, a special product of Hengdong. Huanggong Chili is golden in color, spicy but not dry. Paired with tender native chicken pieces, the stir – fried chicken is fresh, flavorful, and full of spiciness, greatly increasing the appetite. In addition, Xintang Boneless Pork is also one of the representatives of Hengdong Local Dishes. It is made by stir – frying the meat picked from pork ribs with green and red peppers, etc. This dish has tender meat, a spicy and delicious taste, and a strong rural flavor. Hengdong Local Dishes can be tasted in many restaurants in Hengdong and Hengyang. The price of a portion of Stir – Fried Native Chicken with Huanggong Chili or Xintang Boneless Pork is about 30 – 50 yuan.
The cuisine of Hengyang is like the long history of this city, with a long – standing heritage. Each dish carries the life memories and cultural inheritance of the people in Hengyang. From the fragrant Hengyang Marinated Noodles to the nutritious and delicious Fish Head and Tofu Soup, from the uniquely flavored Leiyang Rice Sheets to the cooling and refreshing Changning Jelly, and then to the rustic Hengdong Local Dishes, every kind of food is worth savoring carefully. If you have the opportunity to come to Hengyang, be sure to taste these culinary treasures on the tongue and experience the unique food charm of this city.
