Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a select list of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it joins a global network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and dynamic food ecosystem," as stated by a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this historic city comes as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has always defined its soul: an profound devotion for food.
"'The day's menu, the method of preparation' is a continued dialogue from morning until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the excellence of food that comes out of 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 famed for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, perfected, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates local ingredients but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – hidden gems that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is precise and demanding. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their children are reluctant to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will motivate more people worldwide to learn these tales and visit the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
