Henan Cuisine

Introduction

The regional cooking of Henan in the Central Plains, aiming at a balance of the five flavours.

Henan cuisine is the regional cooking of Henan and has traditionally been represented by Kaifeng, Luoyang and other places, aiming at a balance of the five flavours and a moderate texture and taste. In the Northern Song the capital Dongjing, today's Kaifeng, had thriving markets, and the Dong Jing Meng Hua Lu, which Meng Yuanlao wrote from memory after moving south, records its taverns, eating houses and many kinds of food. The Luoyang water banquet is said to go back to the Tang and has twenty-four dishes, with cold dishes first and then the main dishes, and its hot dishes cannot do without soup. The master stock used for the banquet is simmered for fourteen to sixteen hours with chicken, bones, ham and dried scallops.