Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, UNESCO honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a select group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of over 400 metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," as noted by a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this time-honored city is little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has always shaped its soul: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of food experimentation, blending Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the most significant 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 securely sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only showcases fresh harvests but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – hidden delights that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a no-frills joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The cook whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their children are reluctant to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will encourage more people around the world to discover these tales and experience the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
