Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and travelers equally celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a global network of cities metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "is a testament to its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many share the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its essence: an immense love for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until going to bed in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the excellence 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 opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were epicenters of culinary innovations, blending Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. The story goes that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich 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 vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – hidden gems that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, 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 offers remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and complicated. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however note that their children are unwilling to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich 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 generate interest about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to discover these stories and experience the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
