Anyone who has eaten dog meat will never forget its uniquely rich aroma. In the classic novel *Outlaws of the Marsh*, the monk Lu Zhishen, disregarding Buddhist precepts, boldly indulged in dog meat. Of course, this was partly due to his wild and unrestrained personality, but also because the flavor of dog meat is truly irresistible...
The original Yongcheng County was established in 610 AD (during the Sui Dynasty). At that time, Mao family braised chicken and braised beef had already appeared in Yongcheng. Once, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, sent the Grand Tutor to Yongcheng to inspect the conditions of the people. The county magistrate hosted him with great care—serving the local delicacies, Mao family braised chicken and braised beef, at the banquet. After tasting them, the Grand Tutor found their flavors unique, …
“Stir-fried Three-No-Stick” is a famous dish from Anyang. It earned its name because it doesn’t stick to chopsticks, the plate, or the teeth. Also known as “Osmanthus Egg,” its creator and the exact time of its invention are unknown. When Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty toured the south and passed through Zhangde Prefecture, the local governor served him a banquet that included Stir-fried Three-No-Stick. The emperor was delighted and immediately ordered the recipe to be recorded...
Legend has it that once Liu Bang’s army suffered a defeat, his soldiers were scattered by the Chu forces. Liu Bang fled with a small band of troops toward Mangdang Mountain, as the area was where he first launched his uprising—familiar terrain and relatively safe. It was midsummer, the weather was extremely hot, and the weary Liu Bang was both hungry and thirsty. Just when he could hardly go on, suddenly...
Whistle Soup is made by grinding millet and simmering it with fresh chicken broth, sheep fat, cellophane noodles, along with spices such as star anise, fennel seeds, minced ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, monosodium glutamate, and salt. When served, the soup is topped with specially prepared chili oil and sprinkled with fried dough flakes. It boasts a delicious and savory taste—free from fishy or greasy odors, salty but not cloying, with a lingering aftertaste. According to personal preference, it can be paired with…
Ice Frost Herb, also known as Winter Frost Herb, Ice Bloom, or Frozen Frost Herb. On winter mornings when temperatures are very low, its internal components and ground water vapor condense on the stems into paper-like ice flakes that curl into various patterns. From a distance, they resemble delicate floral fluff, elegant and pleasing to the eye. To accurately describe this unique characteristic, Chinese medicinal botanists named it Ice Frost Herb…
Fried ice has a long history, and you can also experience the charm of these distinctive delicacies during the making process. Fried ice is a very unique snack from Henan. It primarily uses fruit juice as the main ingredient, and the cooking method is similar to freezing vegetables, resulting in a fruity flavor. Strolling through the summer night market in Shangqiu, you’ll find a dazzling array of various snacks and delicacies…
Lamb Noodles in Broth is a famous specialty snack from Henan, deeply loved by many. The broth is rich and flavorful; the noodles are fragrant, springy, and chewy; the lamb is tender and soft. Making Lamb Noodles in Broth involves three key elements: the dough, the ingredients, and the broth. When making the dough, add some salt, knead it into a ball, let it rest for twenty minutes, then knead it again for ten minutes and let it rest for another twenty minutes, repeating this process...
The Hometown of Tongmu — Shangqiu City Shangqiu is located in the eastern part of Henan Province. It is known as the "Hometown of Tongmu" for its abundant production of tongmu wood.…
Five-spice bean paste soup is a popular soup dish among locals in Anyang. To make it, millet is the main ingredient, which is soaked in cold water along with Sichuan peppercorns and fennel, then ground with water into a pasty rice slurry. The slurry is added to a pot of water that has been brought to a boil with peanuts, yellow soybean paste, shredded kelp, cellophane noodles, and salt. Once the mixture comes to a boil, the rice slurry is poured in while stirring continuously. When the pot boils again, the heat is immediately reduced, and shredded tofu, shredded carrots, spinach, and fried sesame seeds are added to complete the dish. The finished bean paste soup has a creamy yellow color with vibrant red and green hues. The various seasonings offer a fragrant taste with a slight hint of numbing spice.
One of Anyang’s “Three Treasures.” Its characteristics: delicious and tasty, never gets old no matter how much you eat. It is mainly made from vermicelli, along with green onions, garlic, lard, refined salt, sesame oil, and dried shrimp. It can be prepared in various ways: pan-fried, stir-fried, or served in a bowl (Anyang)…
One of Anyang’s “Three Treasures.” Its characteristics: rich and mellow in flavor, sweet and sour to the taste, with effects that help clear heat and reduce internal inflammation. The porridge is primarily made from mung bean fermented liquid, combined with high-quality millet, soybeans, peanuts, refined salt, and an appropriate amount of lard. Upon serving, it is topped with a mashed scallion juice and sprinkled with chopped coriander (Anyang)…
Anyang’s traditional dish comes in six or seven varieties. There are the “Sea Stew” and “Upper Stew,” which use premium ingredients and are meticulously prepared; the more common and affordable “Regular Stew”; as well as the simple “Flat Noodle Dish.” Other variations include the “Earthen Pot Tofu” and “Earthen Pot Sea Stew,” which differ based on the cooking utensils used. …
Wei Xiangfu is produced in Huaxian County, Henan Province. It can be harvested in spring, summer, or autumn. The fibrous roots and scale leaves are scorched off with fire, then briefly immersed in boiling water or thoroughly steamed in a steamer before being taken out to dry. Next, it is polished in a bamboo basket; any remaining ash, dust, and fine hairs are removed using a bamboo sieve, resulting in smooth-surfaced Xiangfu. If not scorched with fire, it is dried to about 70–80% and then the fuzz and outer skin are removed using a stone mill—this product is called Xiangfu rice. The dried rhizomes are mostly spindle-shaped, some slightly curved, with a brownish or dark brown surface marked by longitudinal wrinkles and several raised nodes. The nodes bear brownish hairs and remnants of root scars. The texture is hard, and after steaming, the broken cross-section has a glossy, purplish-red appearance. When directly sun-dried, the outer skin and central core are distinctly layered, with the center slightly darker and scattered with black, dot-like vascular bundles. It is characterized by large size, brownish color, firm texture, thick flesh, strong aroma, and potent medicinal efficacy, with the core located centrally—distinguishing it from the more common off-center-core Xiangfu. The processed Xiangfu rice is reddish-yellow, semi-transparent, and ice-block-like. It is known for its functions of regulating qi, relieving depression, easing pain, and harmonizing menstruation. It is primarily used to treat disharmony between the liver and stomach, stagnant qi, chest and rib-side distension and pain, hernia pain, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and breast swelling and pain.
Tangyin cherry tomatoes are a specialty of Tangyin County in Anyang City, Henan Province. Produced at an optimal time and of high quality, they are favored by merchants from Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, and other regions. Tangyin County has actively adjusted its industrial structure, guiding local farmers to target the "vegetable basket" market by actively cultivating pollution-free vegetables such as tomatoes, loofahs, and bitter melons...
Shuangtou Yellow Wine is a specialty of Tangyin County, Anyang City, Henan Province. The brewing ingredients of "Shuangtou Huang" yellow wine are unique, using millet and broomcorn millet produced in northern China. It is rich in nutrition and contains essential amino acids needed by the human body. Its unique drinking method requires no heating or addition of other condiments, making it highly favored by locals. "Shuangtou Huang" yellow wine...
Yigou Hollow Noodles are a specialty of Yigou Town, Tangyin County, Anyang City, Henan Province. For two hundred years since their inception, the handmade hollow noodles of Yigou Town in Tangyin have been renowned as a masterpiece of noodle cuisine due to their unique craftsmanship, thread-like fineness, and hollow centers. According to the Annals of Tangyin County, Yigou Hollow Noodles have a history of two hundred years and were exhibited at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco, USA, in 1914, gaining fame both domestically and abroad, enduring through the ages. Currently, only the Liu family’s hollow noodles have been passed down in Yigou Town.
Made from mung bean fermented liquid, millet, soybeans, peanuts, and lard, this dish is typically served with a drizzle of scallion juice and chopped cilantro, offering a rich and savory flavor. Fermented Mung Bean Porridge is one of Anyang’s “Three Treasures.” It can be found everywhere, from high-end restaurants to small street food stalls. The porridge has a tangy yet aromatic taste that stimulates the appetite and helps clear internal heat…
Chuwang Pa Cake was originally a local snack from Chuwang Town. Legend has it that it originated in the early years of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty, introduced to the area by Ma Kui from Baoding. Its main ingredient is buckwheat flour, which is steamed and then served cold, tossed with mustard, sesame oil, garlic juice, and aged vinegar. It has a delicious taste and is believed to aid digestion. It has since spread throughout the county and can often be found being sold on the streets of towns and villages. A folk song about Chuwang Pa Cake goes...
Balizheng Melons from Hua County are a specialty of Balizheng Township in Hua County, Anyang City, Henan Province. The "Tianmi Culi" melons produced by the Balizheng Fragrant Melon Planting Farmers' Professional Cooperative under the "Balizheng Township" brand feature an oval shape, a muted white rind, thick skin and flesh, and a crystal-clear, ice-like and jade-like texture that is crisp and sweet upon eating—hence the name. This…