Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and tourists alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a exclusive list of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it becomes part of a international community of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The accolade "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and vibrant gastronomic culture," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this venerable city is hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, chaotic, and eclectic city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an immense passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant discussion from waking up until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of food experimentation, fusing Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are little shops and carts – hidden delights that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a simple joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and involved. The cook whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their younger generation do not want to master the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The real value 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 comes with a history – shaped by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will encourage more people worldwide to discover these tales and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
