Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists equally praising its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The accolade "is a testament to its profound food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant discussion from morning until going to bed in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and taken to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created 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 fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are little shops and stalls – little-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but say that their younger generation do not want to take up the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to discover these stories and experience the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
