Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and visitors alike praising its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it enters a international community of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and dynamic food ecosystem," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this time-honored city comes as little surprise to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always characterized its heart: an immense devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, evolved, and elevated to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are little shops and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their younger generation are unwilling to learn the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy puts it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will inspire more people around the world to explore these stories and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
