Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and visitors equally swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – placing it on a select group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a key factor of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this time-honored city is no surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and vibrant city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has perennially shaped its essence: an unparalleled devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, perfected, and taken to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on countless corners, there are little shops and stalls – little-known delights that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is scientific and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but say that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to learn these tales and travel to the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
