Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and visitors equally celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
An International Accolade
In a recent announcement, Unesco recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a select group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of over 400 cities across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "is a testament to its profound food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of 70 cities around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this time-honored city is hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, chaotic, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is now in the global gaze for what has always shaped its soul: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant conversation from waking up until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and 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 low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Nearly on every corner, there are little shops and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a simple joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, 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 boasts special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is precise and demanding. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their children are reluctant to master the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said 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 lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will motivate more people worldwide to learn these narratives and visit the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
