Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and visitors alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
An International Accolade
Last month, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's exceptional food. With this status, it joins a worldwide network of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and vibrant culinary scene," as stated by a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has always defined its heart: an unparalleled devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a ongoing conversation from morning until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and raised to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of culinary innovations, blending Iranian 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 created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing 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 needed no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a vast array 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 additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, offered in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is precise and involved. The cook whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though note that their children are unwilling to learn the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will inspire more people worldwide to explore these tales and visit the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
