Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and tourists alike praising its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, UNESCO designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a select group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this designation, it joins a international community of cities cities across over 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and dynamic food ecosystem," as noted by a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city comes as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, chaotic, and eclectic city – the capital of India's most populous state – is finally in the spotlight for what has always defined its soul: an immense devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the old city area 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 offers 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 cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but say that their children do not want to learn the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people worldwide to learn these stories and travel to the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
