A culinary journey through Henan: Where history meets the plate

Henan Province, one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, offers more than just historical relics. Its culinary traditions are a living archive of China's past. This visual journey captures iconic dishes like Henan braised noodles, representing the traditional Henan style of hand-pulled noodles dating back over 800 years. The noodles are served in three types of broth: beef, mutton or seafood.

Equally symbolic is the Peony Swallow Dish, the first main dish and the most renowned one of the Luoyang Water Banquet, consisting of 24 dishes. This dish is mainly made of Chinese white radishes, sea cucumbers, squids and chicken, with a carved "peony" in the center. Other typical dishes include fried meatballs soup and pork slices with soup.

Henan breakfast traditions

The above photo collection vividly captures the morning dishes of the province. Among Henan's most popular breakfast dishes is a hot pepper soup, known locally as hulatang – a peppery broth that is both invigorating and comforting.

The name itself is telling. Tang means soup, hu is the initial character for peppercorns in Chinese, and la signifies spiciness. This dish is renowned for its heavy seasoning with pepper, resulting in a soup with an exceptionally thick and sticky texture that is beloved by locals. Other ingredients may include beef and mushrooms.

The precise origins of the pepper soup are somewhat elusive. However, one prevailing theory suggests that it dates back to the Huizong period of the late Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) when soups infused with pepper gained popularity.

Since pepper soup can be quite spicy, you can also try the Two Mixtures. It is a half-and-half serving of pepper soup and tofu pudding that creates a harmonious blend of textures and flavors.

(All photos by CGTN's Chen Hongyu and Wang Hongjie)