Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive group of global cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its profound food heritage and vibrant gastronomic culture," as noted by a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this time-honored city is little surprise to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always defined its heart: an immense passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the quality of food that comes out of 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 tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy 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 dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates seasonal produce but also provides 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 tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known delights that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The cook beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however note that their younger generation do not want to take up the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's profound food legacy positions 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 generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will encourage more people worldwide to discover these tales and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
