Hunan Cuisine, sometimes called Xiang Cuisine ( 湘菜 ), consists of the cuisines of the Xiangjiang region, Dongting Lake ( 洞庭湖 ) and western Hunan ( 湖南 ) Province, in China.

While similar to Sichuan cuisine ( 川菜 ), Hunan Cuisine is often spicier and contains a larger variety of ingredients. Hunan is known for its liberal use of chilli peppers, shallots and garlic. Many Hunan dishes are characterized by a strongly flavored brown sauce. Some rely on sweetness from ingredients such as honey; sweet and sour sauces are also characteristic of the style.

Hunan cuisine is difficult to precisely characterize, as it has absorbed stylistic elements from all over China. For this reason, the region is sometimes regarded as China's culinary center. Common cooking techniques include stewing, frying, pot-roasting, braising, and smoking. Due to the high agricultural output of the region, ingredients for Hunan dishes are many and varied.

Some representative Hunan dishes include:

• Orange Beef（桔汁牛肉）
• Crispy Duck（脆皮鸭）
• Dongan Chicken（东安子鸡）
• Peppery and Hot Chicken（麻辣仔鸡）
• Lotus Seeds in Sugar Candy（冰糖湘莲）