Chopped chilli fish head (duo jiao yu tou) is perhaps the most recognisable Hunanese dish outside the province — a large silver carp head halved and steamed with fermented chopped chillies piled on top, garlic, and fermented black beans, served in the steaming dish at the table. The combination of the delicate fish flesh, the sharp fermented chilli, and the savoury black bean sauce is one of the more complex flavour experiences in Chinese cooking.
The dish requires a fish head of at least 500 grams (larger is better); a good version typically involves a fish head of one to two kilograms serving two to four people. The fermented chillies are crucial — different restaurants use different fermentation times and chilli varieties, and the variation in quality is significant. Budget ¥60–120 depending on size. The dish is served in virtually every Hunanese restaurant in Changsha; the best versions are usually at mid-range establishments with simple decor rather than tourist-oriented restaurants.