Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it enters a worldwide network of over 400 urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a key factor of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as little surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always shaped its heart: an immense passion for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until going to bed in many 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 often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up 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 additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases fresh harvests but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on many street corners, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, 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 remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and complicated. The cook whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their younger generation are reluctant to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will motivate more people around the world to discover these stories and visit the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
