Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, Unesco designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a select list of global cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a international community of over 400 urban centers across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and lively gastronomic culture," as noted by a spokesperson from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this historic city comes as no surprise to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the limelight for what has always defined its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of food experimentation, merging 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. The story goes that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known gems that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried 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 available in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and involved. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their younger generation are reluctant to take up the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to learn these narratives and travel to the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.