Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and travelers equally celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
An International Accolade
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it becomes part of a worldwide network of cities metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The honor "demonstrates 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 – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this venerable city arrives as little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always defined its soul: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a ongoing dialogue from morning until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of gastronomic creativity, fusing Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known treasures that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start milling around from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in 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 set up, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and demanding. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though note that their children do not want to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will encourage more people worldwide to explore these stories and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
