【Delicacies from Astronauts’ Hometowns】The spicy dishes from Tang Hongbo’s hometown in Xiangtan, Hunan

Due to its geographical location, Hunan has a mild and humid climate; in ancient times it was referred to as a \"marshy and damp region\". Chili peppers, which entered China during the Ming Dynasty, took root in Hunan and also became an essential part of the local diet. People often like to eat chili peppers to invigorate the body and remove dampness. Moreover, since people in Hunan rely on rice as their main staple food throughout the year and consume chili peppers, these can directly stimulate saliva production, thereby boosting appetite. As more people started eating it, a preference for spicy food emerged. Hunan people have various ways of eating chili peppers: they soak large red peppers in sealed vinegar jars, resulting in a flavor that is both spicy and sour, which is called “sour-spicy”” ； Combining red chili, Sichuan pepper, and garlic is referred to as \"spicy and numbing\"” ； Chop the red chili peppers and pickle them in a sealed jar; it has a spicy yet salty flavor, which is called \"salty-spicy\"” ； After chopping the red chili peppers, mix them with rice flour and store them in a sealed jar. When ready to eat, they can be stir-fried dry or blended into a paste; this is known as “Zha La”” ； After grinding the red chilies, garlic cloves and fermented soybeans are added to them and soaked in tea oil; the resulting mixture has a strong aroma, and it is called \"oil spicy\"” ； Roast large red peppers over fire, then peel off their thin skin, and mix them with sesame oil and soy sauce for a dish that is spicy yet sweet in taste, known as \"fresh spicy\". Furthermore, dried and fresh chili peppers can also be used as ingredients in cooking, with a wide variety of ways to consume them.

Sour peppers are the best dish to stimulate appetite; they are fresh and tangy, and adding them to stir-fried meat, eggs, or any other dishes makes one’s mouth water just by smelling it. The preparation is actually very simple: wash the green peppers, soak them in cold boiled water or pure water in a jar, add an appropriate amount of salt, seal the jar, and after some time they’re ready to be eaten.

Soaking in saltwater is understandable, but when soaked in alcohol, is it drinking alcohol or eating chili peppers?

Kimchi needs rice wine to kill bacteria and enhance flavor

There are two ways to prepare white peppers; different methods result in different textures. The first method involves washing the chilies thoroughly, then drying them in the sun until they turn white. After that, they are chopped up, mixed with salt, and placed in a sealed jar. With this method, the white chilies become quite crisp, and they offer the best flavor and texture when used for stir-frying meat, sausages, and similar foods. The second method involves first washing the chilies, then scalding them in boiling water, and afterwards drying them in the sun. Halfway through the drying process, the chilies are cut open with scissors and continued to be dried. Finally, salt is added and mixed in, after which the mixture is placed in a sealed jar. This white chili isn’t crisp, but it’s extremely fragrant and spicy; adding some to steamed dishes makes them absolutely delicious!

To make crushed chili, wash the chilies thoroughly and then roast them over heat until their skins burst. Remove those skins, then add ginger, garlic, salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, fermented black beans, chili oil, and cooking wine. Add preserved eggs as well, and in a large bowl, use a wooden stick to crush and mix all the ingredients together.