Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and visitors equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a exclusive list of world cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of cities urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and lively food ecosystem," as noted by a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, bustling, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently defined its heart: an immense devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued conversation from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and raised to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases 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 carts – little-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 legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a no-frills joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is precise and demanding. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though say that their children are unwilling to master the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will motivate more people worldwide to explore these tales and experience the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
