Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and tourists equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a exclusive group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it joins a global network of over 400 cities across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The accolade "is a testament to its deep-rooted culinary traditions and lively culinary scene," as stated by a spokesperson from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has perennially characterized its essence: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued discussion from morning until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the quality of food that emerges from 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 succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was invented to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks 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 dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases fresh harvests but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known delights that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a simple joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is scientific and complicated. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their children do not want to master the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to learn these narratives and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
