Landlocked Hunan's chili-rich cuisine is similar to that of western China's Sichuan province. Chili, garlic and the unusual so-called "strange sauce" enliven many dishes. Chairman Mao, who was Hunanese, once claimed that the more chilies one eats the more revolutionary one becomes. It was meant as a joke (most probably) but the statement is in accordance to the Chinese belief that diet makes a great difference to the well being of a person.

Changsha specialties include dongan chicken, stinking tofu, chili smoked meat and cold rice noodles in a hot and spicy sauce. Honey sauces are favoured for desserts, which include favourites such as water chestnuts or cassia-flower cakes. For those of the non-spicy palate, the city still has an array of cooler dishes, including tasty dumplings (Jiao zi), eggs and pickles.