Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and travelers equally praising its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a prestigious group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this status, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old food heritage and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as little surprise to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and eclectic city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the spotlight for what has consistently characterized its essence: an profound devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality 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 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, refined, and raised to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of culinary innovations, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. The story goes that the mutton galouti was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the famous 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 additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on countless corners, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known treasures that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also boasts unique seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and demanding. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their younger generation do not want to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will motivate more people globally to discover these stories and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
