Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and travelers equally swearing by its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, Unesco recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select group of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this time-honored city is little surprise to its residents or avid food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, chaotic, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has always defined its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'The day's menu, the method of preparation' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly evaluated by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, perfected, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases seasonal produce but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on countless corners, there are small establishments and carts – little-known delights that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a unpretentious joint situated 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 presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their younger generation do not want to learn the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to explore these tales and visit the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
