Best Halal Food in Changsha: Hunan Hui Muslim Stir-Fry at a Local Restaurant
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Changsha halal food note visits a rare local Hunan-style Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurant, keeping the dishes, travel context, and local food details from the Chinese source.
I visited mosques in Shaoyang, Hunan, during the May Day holiday. I flew to Changsha first and had lunch there. Changsha has two noodle shops run by Hui Muslims surnamed Su from Shaoyang, and one stir-fry and noodle shop run by Hui Muslims surnamed Zhang from Changde. Since our destination was Shaoyang, we chose the Changde stir-fry restaurant.
The surname Zhang is common among Hui Muslims in Hunan. Their ancestor was named Pu Luode, originally from Sanhe, Langfang, Hebei. In 1368 (the first year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty), he was appointed commander of the Baoqing Guard in Hunan, and the Ming Emperor Taizu granted him the surname Zhang. His grandson, Zhang Hu, served as a thousand-household commander in Changde, Hunan, during the Yongle reign. He was transferred to the Imperial Guard in Beijing during the Xuande reign, retired to Changde in 1452 (the third year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), and settled in Badouwan, Wuling (now Dingcheng District, Changde). His descendants are known as the Badouwan Zhang clan.
The owner of the Zhang Beef Noodle Shop knows how to say salaam. She is very friendly, recommends special dishes, and kindly asked us about our spice preference. The shop is located in the storefronts of the Hunan Islamic Association compound. Drivers can park inside the association's courtyard. There is a Xiangmu Home Hotel in the courtyard. An older lady at the front desk holds the key to the gate barrier, but she is difficult to talk to, so you have to ask the restaurant owner to speak with her.
The restaurant stays open all afternoon. When we were there, the customers were all Hui Muslims traveling from out of town, and everyone mentioned how hard it is to find places to eat in Changsha. We ordered stir-fried yellow beef, minced beef with tofu, and braised beef rice noodles. Their signature dish is Changde stewed noodles (dunfen), which is a clay pot filled with various parts of the cow, served with the noodles on the side. However, we really wanted to try Hunan Hui Muslim stir-fry.
Stir-fried yellow beef is a specialty of Hunan Hui Muslims. It is flash-fried over high heat for one minute, making the beef tender and fresh. The green chili peppers taste sweet at first with a mild spicy aftertaste, which is fine for people from the north. The minced beef with tofu was also very good and goes well with rice.
The braised beef rice noodles are thin and chewy, and you just can't stop slurping them. The soup base tastes a bit like braised beef instant noodles. I just realized that the instant noodles I ate as a child were modeled after this southern-style braised beef flavor. After the food is ready, you can add toppings at the condiment station, such as pickled vegetables (suancai), soybeans, and pickled radishes, which all add great flavor. The owner said the chili at their condiment station is extremely spicy, so we didn't dare to add any.
They use quite a bit of oil, which I think is a unique feature, but those who prefer lighter food should tell the shop in advance.
Summary: This Changsha halal food note visits a rare local Hunan-style Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurant, keeping the dishes, travel context, and local food details from the Chinese source.
I visited mosques in Shaoyang, Hunan, during the May Day holiday. I flew to Changsha first and had lunch there. Changsha has two noodle shops run by Hui Muslims surnamed Su from Shaoyang, and one stir-fry and noodle shop run by Hui Muslims surnamed Zhang from Changde. Since our destination was Shaoyang, we chose the Changde stir-fry restaurant.
The surname Zhang is common among Hui Muslims in Hunan. Their ancestor was named Pu Luode, originally from Sanhe, Langfang, Hebei. In 1368 (the first year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty), he was appointed commander of the Baoqing Guard in Hunan, and the Ming Emperor Taizu granted him the surname Zhang. His grandson, Zhang Hu, served as a thousand-household commander in Changde, Hunan, during the Yongle reign. He was transferred to the Imperial Guard in Beijing during the Xuande reign, retired to Changde in 1452 (the third year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), and settled in Badouwan, Wuling (now Dingcheng District, Changde). His descendants are known as the Badouwan Zhang clan.
The owner of the Zhang Beef Noodle Shop knows how to say salaam. She is very friendly, recommends special dishes, and kindly asked us about our spice preference. The shop is located in the storefronts of the Hunan Islamic Association compound. Drivers can park inside the association's courtyard. There is a Xiangmu Home Hotel in the courtyard. An older lady at the front desk holds the key to the gate barrier, but she is difficult to talk to, so you have to ask the restaurant owner to speak with her.
The restaurant stays open all afternoon. When we were there, the customers were all Hui Muslims traveling from out of town, and everyone mentioned how hard it is to find places to eat in Changsha. We ordered stir-fried yellow beef, minced beef with tofu, and braised beef rice noodles. Their signature dish is Changde stewed noodles (dunfen), which is a clay pot filled with various parts of the cow, served with the noodles on the side. However, we really wanted to try Hunan Hui Muslim stir-fry.
Stir-fried yellow beef is a specialty of Hunan Hui Muslims. It is flash-fried over high heat for one minute, making the beef tender and fresh. The green chili peppers taste sweet at first with a mild spicy aftertaste, which is fine for people from the north. The minced beef with tofu was also very good and goes well with rice.
The braised beef rice noodles are thin and chewy, and you just can't stop slurping them. The soup base tastes a bit like braised beef instant noodles. I just realized that the instant noodles I ate as a child were modeled after this southern-style braised beef flavor. After the food is ready, you can add toppings at the condiment station, such as pickled vegetables (suancai), soybeans, and pickled radishes, which all add great flavor. The owner said the chili at their condiment station is extremely spicy, so we didn't dare to add any.
They use quite a bit of oil, which I think is a unique feature, but those who prefer lighter food should tell the shop in advance.
