Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and travelers alike praising its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select list of world cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it joins a international community of over 400 metropolises across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this time-honored city comes as little surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, chaotic, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has always defined its heart: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing conversation from morning until going to bed in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of food experimentation, fusing Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a vast array 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 also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights fresh harvests but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on countless corners, there are small establishments and carts – little-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and demanding. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their children are reluctant to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will encourage more people worldwide to learn these tales and visit the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
