Jiaozuo Specialty Food Guide: The Flavors of Huaichuan on Your Tongue

1. Must-Try Food List 1. Huaifu Nao Tang Donkey Meat - Specialty: A nationally protected geographical indication product, the meat is tender and soft, the soup base milky white like jade, salty with a hint of sweetness. - Recommended way to eat: The most authentic is at the old-brand shops in Qinyang City, paired with baked flatbread soaked in soup, enjoy the carb joy of "donkey meat with thin pancakes." - Tips: Add chopped green onions and cilantro to enhance freshness; the thinner the donkey meat slices, the more flavorful. 2. Tiegun Yam - Specialty: Grown in Wengxian Lutudi, it is glutinous and stringy, does not break down after long cooking, combining medicinal and delicious qualities. - Recommended ways to eat: - Steamed: Steam directly and dip in sugar to enjoy the original sweet flavor. - Stewed soup: Cook with pork ribs and corn for a rich and nourishing broth. - Creative dishes: Blueberry yam puree, yam bean sugar-coated haws (commonly seen on Jiaozuo streets). - Purchase advice: Choose authentic Tiegun yam with "rust spots" on the skin and sticky mucus when broken. 3. Wuzhi Oil Tea - Specialty: Unique to northern Henan, fried noodles are cooked into a paste, mixed with sesame and peanuts, salty and rich. - Recommended way to eat: The most authentic is at small shops on the old street in Wuzhi County, served with freshly fried youtiao soaked in it, a breakfast staple. - Hidden way to eat: Sprinkle a spoonful of chili and drizzle half a spoon of freshly ground sesame oil to instantly enhance the flavor. 4. Boai Small Cart Beef - Specialty: Braised and pressed into blocks, sliced translucent like amber, with strong tendons and tender meat. - Recommended way to eat: Sold fresh-sliced on market days in Xuliang Town (on lunar calendar days ending in 3, 6, 9), eaten in baked flatbread or mixed with noodles. - Historical tidbit: It is said that during the Ming Dynasty military campaigns, the meat was transported by single-wheel carts, hence the name "Small Cart Beef." 5. Mengzhou Hunjiang Cold Noodles - Specialty: Intangible cultural heritage mung bean cold noodles, yellow and green in color, with mustard’s pungent aroma to refresh the mind, a summer must-have. - Recommended way to eat: At old shops in Nanzhuang Town, add a spoonful of sesame paste, paired with shredded cucumber and mint leaves for a sour and appetizing taste. - Local habit: After eating the cold noodles, drink a sip of iced brown sugar water, affectionately called the "cold noodle companion." 6. Dongfu Meatballs - Specialty: A century-old tradition, the meatballs are springy like crab meat, with a light and delicious broth. - Recommended way to eat: Dip in Jiaozuo’s specialty Sichuan pepper oil (spicy with a numbing sensation), or add perilla leaves for extra fragrance. - Cultural note: Already a famous dish in Huaifu during the Anti-Japanese War, known as the "living fossil of meatballs." 2. Classic Snack Combinations - Breakfast set: Wuzhi Oil Tea (5 yuan) + freshly fried vegetable dumplings (3 yuan) - Lunch recommendation: Boai Mixed Platter (a hearty mix of meat and vegetables, 25 yuan/serving) + Mengzhou Fried Noodles (15 yuan/plate) - Must-order dinner: Small Cart Beef in flatbread (20 yuan/each) + Haichangong Pine Flower Egg (8 yuan/each) - Top late-night snack: Xiwo Braised Meat (mixed fatty and lean, 40 yuan/jin) with baked flatbread, plus a bowl of Xiuwu iced mung bean soup (5 yuan). 3. Cultural Experience Tips - Intangible heritage trail: Visit Nanzhuang Town in Mengzhou to watch the handmade production of Hunjiang cold noodles and experience the magic of "mung beans turning into jade." - Market flavor hunt: On Thursdays at the big market in Xuliang Town, Boai County, stalls selling Small Cart Beef and Dongfu Meatballs gather. - Hidden delicacy: The "Three-Wheel Hot Porridge Stall" in the alleys of old Jiaozuo city sells a bowl of lamb thick porridge for 10 yuan, sprinkled with crispy lamb fat cubes, opening at 4 a.m., known only to locals. 4. Pitfall Avoidance Guide - Be cautious buying: "Fake Tiegun yams" around scenic spots (those large and smooth without prickles are mostly improved varieties). - Recognize: Ma Ji Roast Chicken should be bought at the Xuliang Town main store (bright red color, hand-shaken to remove bones), imitations have dry and tasteless meat. - Pairing: The first taste of Jiang noodles may seem strange, but adding a spoonful of chili oil and pickled mustard strips instantly elevates the flavor! Jiaozuo’s cuisine is a collision of ruggedness and delicacy, a crystallization of nature’s gifts and culinary wisdom. From the hot and fragrant Nao Tang donkey meat to the smooth and sweet aftertaste of oil tea, every bite is the best interpretation of "eating in Jiaozuo." Take this guide and conquer your taste buds!