Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious roster of world cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of cities cities across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic food ecosystem," as noted by a spokesperson from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this historic city comes as little surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the spotlight for what has always defined its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from morning until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases fresh harvests 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 every corner, there are little shops and kiosks – little-known delights that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and complicated. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however note that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will inspire more people worldwide to discover these tales and experience the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
