Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious group of world cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," as noted by a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the limelight for what has always characterized its essence: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant conversation from morning until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. The story goes that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created 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 just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only showcases seasonal produce but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – little-known treasures that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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 unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and complicated. The cook hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but note that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will inspire more people around the world to learn these tales and visit the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
