Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors alike celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it becomes part of a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "stands as proof of its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," as stated by 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 find a place in this coveted list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this time-honored city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or dedicated food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the limelight for what has consistently shaped its essence: an immense devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and elevated to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks 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 just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – hidden treasures that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still highly popular for its hot 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 frothy dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will encourage more people globally to learn these stories and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
