Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a select roster of global cities and kindling hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it joins a international community of over 400 urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound food heritage and dynamic culinary scene," as stated by 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 coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city is hardly a shock to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, lively, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the spotlight for what has always defined its essence: an profound devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from morning until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, fusing Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed 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 securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created 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 just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – little-known treasures that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a no-frills joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 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 presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but note that their younger generation are unwilling to learn the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will motivate more people worldwide to learn these narratives and visit the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
