Top 20 Henan Specialty Foods (Ranked 20-1)

20. Steamed Vegetables (Henan-style)​（河南蒸菜）

Seasonal vegetables coated with flour and steamed, known as "Chinese salad of Henan people"

Spring seasonal dish served with signature dipping sauce

19. Dengzhou Wozimian Noodles​（邓县窝子面）

Daily staple in Dengzhou, mainly served dry-tossed

Paired with sesame paste and spicy beef oil sauce (5 spice levels available)

Can be converted to soup noodles using reserved beef bone broth

18. Sanchuan Hot Tofu​（三川热豆腐）

Signature snack from Funiu Mountain region

Served freshly made with garlic-chili dressing

Renowned as "Moutai of tofu" for its rich bean aroma

17. Broad Knife Liangfen​（大刀凉粉）

Pea starch jelly cut with special broad knife

Served with garlic sauce, sesame paste, and chili oil

Refreshingly smooth texture

16. Gushi Stewed Goose​（固始鹅块）

Slow-cooked goose with ginger-chili stir-fry technique

Firm meat texture in spicy aromatic broth

"Gushi" phonetically resembles "goose" in English

15. Puyang Zhuangmo​（濮阳壮馍）

Giant pan-fried meat pie with crispy wrapper

Juicy filling inside golden crust

Most representative heroic-style wheat food of northern Henan

14. Xinxiang Braised Lamb​（新乡红焖羊肉）

Famous Central Plains mutton dish

Once so popular that "morning markets ran out of sheep"

Rich broth with zero gaminess

13. Wuzhi Youcha​（武陟油茶）

Roasted wheat flour blended with nuts into porridge

Sweet, sticky texture with dense nutty flavor

12. Anyang Flat Noodle Soup​（安阳扁粉菜）

Wide noodles cooked with pork blood and tofu

Served with garlic-chili oil and fried bread

Embodies Henan's street food culture

11. Huanghe Carp​（黄河大鲤鱼）

Signature Henan banquet dish, fried then braised

Firm yet tender flesh with savory depth

Essential for feasts ("No banquet without carp")

10. Luoshan Pork Intestine Soup​（罗山大肠汤）

Tofu skin base with pork blood and intestines

Robust flavor perfect with rice

Dubbed "most hardcore breakfast"

9. Jiaxian Heluo Noodles​（郏县饸饹面）

Pressed round noodles using special tool

Served with sliced meat, chili oil, and broth

Spicy-numbing with springy texture

8. Jiangmian (Fermented Noodles)​（浆面条）

Noodles cooked in sour mung bean broth

Henan proverb: "Reheated jiangmian beats meat"

Polarizing but iconic local flavor

7. Wuzhi Clay Pot​（武陟砂锅）

Intangible cultural heritage dish, slow-braised

Sizzled with hot chili oil before serving

Tender meat considered "clay pot perfection"

6. Carp with Crispy Noodles​（鲤鱼焙面）

Imperial dish named by Emperor Taizu of Song

Sweet-sour fish paired with crispy fried noodles

5. Hulatang Pepper Soup​（胡辣汤）

National intangible cultural heritage breakfast

Beef bone broth with 30+ spices

Numbing-spicy flavor, often paired with fried dough

4. Kaifeng Soup Dumplings​（开封灌汤包）

Imperial recipe from Northern Song Dynasty

Eating method: "Lift gently, move slowly, open window, sip soup first"

Must-try Henan icon

3. Daokou Braised Chicken​（道口烧鸡）

"World's #1 chicken" with 300-year history

Fried then marinated until bones soften

Meat falls off the bone

2. Hui Noodles​（烩面）

Hand-pulled wide noodles in bone broth

Topped with lamb, vermicelli etc.

Ranked among China's Top 10 Noodles

1. Henan Da Hui Stew​（河南大烩菜）

20+ ingredients slow-cooked together

Umami-rich with layered meaty aroma

Essential for weddings/funerals, served with steamed buns