Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and tourists equally praising its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and lively gastronomic culture," according to a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of 70 cities internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this venerable city is little surprise to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always defined its heart: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a constant conversation from waking up until going to bed in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of food experimentation, merging Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed 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 dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a no-frills joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and complicated. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions 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 under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will encourage more people globally to explore these tales and experience the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
