Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive list of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a international community of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old culinary traditions and dynamic culinary scene," as stated by a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of 70 global destinations internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its heart: an unparalleled devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from morning until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the old city area 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 savored in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and demanding. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though express concern that their children are reluctant to take up the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will motivate more people worldwide to explore these stories and experience the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
