Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and tourists alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, Unesco recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it becomes part of a global network of over 400 urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The accolade "is a testament to its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic food ecosystem," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this historic city is hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the global gaze for what has perennially shaped its heart: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from morning until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often 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 widely known after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights fresh harvests but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – hidden gems that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The vendor beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their younger generation do not want to learn the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will encourage more people globally to learn these stories and experience the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
