Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and tourists alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of global cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it joins a global network of over 400 urban centers across over 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and dynamic culinary scene," as noted by a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this time-honored city comes as no surprise to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the spotlight for what has perennially defined its soul: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, blending Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. The story goes that the galouti kebab was created to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up 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 fresh harvests but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known gems that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, served in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way 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 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 cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and demanding. The vendor beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however note that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will motivate more people around the world to discover these tales and travel to the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
