Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and visitors alike praising its exquisite cuisine.
An International Accolade
In a recent announcement, Unesco designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's exceptional food. With this status, it joins a global network of over 400 cities across over 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The honor "is a testament to its centuries-old culinary traditions and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of 70 cities internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this historic city is little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always characterized its heart: an immense devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued dialogue from waking up until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, blending Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was created to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant 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 securely closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a repertoire 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 vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on countless corners, there are small establishments and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, served in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their children are unwilling to master the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound 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 materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people worldwide to learn these tales and experience the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
