Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and travelers alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious list of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it becomes part of a international community of over 400 metropolises across over 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "is a testament to its centuries-old food heritage and vibrant food ecosystem," as noted by a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this venerable city comes as no surprise to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, chaotic, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is finally in the limelight for what has perennially defined its soul: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and elevated to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. The story goes that the mutton galouti was created to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft 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 closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, offered in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, 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 boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however note that their younger generation do not want to master the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will encourage more people worldwide to learn these narratives and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
