Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it becomes part of a global network of over 400 urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its deep-rooted food heritage and vibrant gastronomic culture," according to a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city is little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always shaped its soul: an unparalleled devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from morning until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century wealthy Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the obvious 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 sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – hidden treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a simple joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also offers special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and involved. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their younger generation do not want to learn the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people globally to discover these stories and travel to the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
