Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and travelers equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it becomes part of a international community of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and vibrant culinary scene," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the global gaze for what has consistently shaped its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant conversation from morning until going to bed in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and raised to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of culinary innovations, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only highlights local ingredients but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – lesser-known delights that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, offered in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and involved. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though express concern that their children do not want to take up the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will inspire more people around the world to discover these narratives and travel to the city to savour the food wonders of Lucknow.
