Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select roster of global cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it becomes part of a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old culinary traditions and lively culinary scene," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the spotlight for what has consistently characterized its heart: an profound devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' 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 standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and 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 cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on countless corners, there are little shops and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, served in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a simple joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and involved. The cook whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their children do not want to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people globally to discover these tales and experience the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
