Hubei cuisine, also known as Chu cuisine or E cuisine, is derived from the native cooking styles of Hubei Province in China.
History
Hubei cuisine has a history of more than 2,000 years. The names of dishes and cuisine styles can be found in ancient literature such as Chuci of Qu Yuan.
Ingredients
As Hubei has plenty of lakes, rivers and marshlands, freshwater produce are used as major ingredients in the local cuisine. A key ingredient that is found within many Hubei-style dishes is the lotus root.[1]
Style
Hubei cuisine emphasizes the preparation of ingredients and the matching of colors. It specializes in steaming techniques. Its style is influenced by the cooking methods of the cuisines of neighboring provinces such as Sichuan and Hunan. As a result, Hubei cuisine also uses dried hot pepper, black pepper and other spices to enhance the flavor of dishes.
Hubei cuisine comprises four distinct styles:
Wuhan style specializes in soups as well as noodle dishes, such as hot dry noodles.[1] Additionally, Wuhan is famous for its dry pots, which are similar to hot pot but without the soup base.[2]
Huangzhou style, which is more oily and tastes more salty than the others.
Jingzhou style, which specializes in fish dishes and uses steaming as the primary method of cooking.
Miao people style, which tastes thick, with the sour and hot most outstanding. It is found in the southwest of Hubei province.
Signature dishes
English
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Pinyin
Notes
Three-Delicacy Dried Bean Curd Sheet
三鮮豆皮
三鲜豆皮
sān xiān dòu pí
Hot Dry Noodles
熱乾麵
热干面
rè gān miàn
Fish Cakes and Ball
魚糕丸子
鱼糕丸子
yú gāo wán zi
Mianyang Three Kinds of Steamed Food
沔陽三蒸
沔阳三蒸
miǎn yáng sān zhēng
Freshly made noodles drying in the sun in Futu, Huangshi Municipality
Chilli peppers sold in Wuhan
Gallery
Steamed fish cakes
Reganmian, the Hot Dried Noodles
Doupi, named after its outside layer made of green bean powder and eggs
Mianwo, deep-fried salty doughnut
Shaomei, a local variety of Shumai
Hot Dried Noodles and Danjiu (sweet rice wine with eggs)
Doupi
Steamed Wuchang Bream
Lotus Root Soup with Pork Bones
Fried Hongshan Caitai with garlic and chili
Fried Lotus Rootlet
Fried Dousi with beef
Cibayu, ciba-style grass carp
Ganbian Ousi, fried lotus root sticks
Shao Mianwo, deep-fried doughnut of sweet potato cubes
Jiguanjiao, fried jiguan dumpling (shaped like a chicken comb)
Hutangfen, rice noodles in peppery carp soup
Miba, semisweet rice pancakes
Yuyuan (fish balls in broth made from the same fish)
Pianpiya (crispy duck, sliced)
Mianyang Sanzheng (The Three Steamed Dishes of Mianyang)