Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike praising its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it joins a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "is a testament to its profound food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," 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 earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this time-honored city comes as little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing discussion from waking up until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of food experimentation, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. The story goes that the mutton galouti was created to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only highlights fresh harvests but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are small establishments and carts – little-known gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a no-frills joint located in the historic quarter 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and demanding. The vendor beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their children are unwilling to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to discover these stories and experience the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
