Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and visitors alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select group of world cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of cities urban centers across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," as noted by a spokesperson from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of seventy urban centers around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, chaotic, and eclectic city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its heart: an profound devotion for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing discussion from waking up until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are truly evaluated by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – 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, evolved, and elevated to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were hubs of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. The story goes that the mutton galouti was created to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent 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 doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also gives the city its meticulously prepared 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 treasures that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with incredibly soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still in great demand for its hot 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 available in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and complicated. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their younger generation do not want to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy puts it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will encourage more people globally to learn these narratives and visit the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
