Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and travelers alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious list of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it becomes part of a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is finally in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its soul: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a constant conversation from morning until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its tender kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of culinary innovations, fusing Persian 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 created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was created to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest 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 closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on countless corners, there are little shops and stalls – hidden delights that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a no-frills joint operating 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and demanding. The cook whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated 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, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people worldwide to discover these tales and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.