Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious list of global cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this designation, it joins a worldwide network of cities urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its profound food heritage and dynamic food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as little surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the spotlight for what has perennially shaped its soul: an unparalleled devotion for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from morning until night in most homes," notes 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 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, perfected, and taken to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known delights that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a no-frills joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is precise and demanding. The vendor beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their younger generation are unwilling to master the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy puts it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will inspire more people worldwide to explore these tales and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
