Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and visitors alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
An International Accolade
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious list of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it becomes part of a international community of over 400 metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and dynamic culinary scene," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 global destinations around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this time-honored city is no surprise to its locals or dedicated food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has always characterized its essence: an immense devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, perfected, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of food experimentation, fusing Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are little shops and stalls – little-known delights that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a unpretentious joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their children do not want to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people worldwide to discover these tales and visit the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
