Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and travelers equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a international community of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations internationally.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this time-honored city arrives as little surprise to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always characterized its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued discussion from morning until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of food experimentation, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks 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 well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a vast array 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 also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only highlights fresh harvests but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on many street corners, there are little shops and stalls – little-known delights that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from 5 am at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also boasts remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however express concern that their children do not want to master the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to learn these tales and experience the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
