Today, chilis are strongly associated with Hunanese cuisine, which is regarded as the spiciest Chinese regional cuisine. However, Chinese recipe books didn't start mentioning chilis until the 1790s, and the very earliest imports of chilis into China didn't start until the 16th century.
What was Hunanese food like before the introduction of chilis? Did they find other sources of heat? Or were other flavors favored before peppers were introduced?
Before the introduction of chili peppers to China, including the region of Hunan, the cuisine relied on other sources of heat and flavor to create spicy dishes.
One of the key ingredients that provided heat in Hunanese cuisine prior to the arrival of chili peppers was black pepper. Black pepper was widely used as a spice and a source of heat in many dishes. It added a pungent and aromatic flavor to the cuisine.
Additionally, Hunanese cuisine made extensive use of other spices, such as Sichuan peppercorns, which provided a unique numbing and tingling sensation rather than a direct spiciness.
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