Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists equally praising its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a exclusive list of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," as noted by a spokesperson from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this time-honored city is hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, lively, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is finally in the limelight for what has consistently characterized its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a constant discussion from morning until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of culinary innovations, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was created to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – hidden delights that are immensely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in kulhads, along with incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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 presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and involved. The artisan beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though note that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound food legacy places it right on top 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 tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will inspire more people worldwide to explore these stories and travel to the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
