Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and visitors equally praising its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – placing it on a select list of global cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it enters a global network of over 400 cities across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its profound gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the capital of India's largest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from morning until going to bed in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, refined, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking 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 culinary masters also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only highlights fresh harvests but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are immensely loved by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its hot 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 cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is precise and demanding. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their children are reluctant to learn the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will motivate more people around the world to discover these tales and visit the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
