Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and travelers alike praising its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it enters a international community of cities cities across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of 70 cities internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this time-honored city is little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and eclectic city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has consistently shaped its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a ongoing dialogue from morning until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, perfected, and raised to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest 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 tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients 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
Almost on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – hidden delights that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a unpretentious joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers unique seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The cook whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though say that their younger generation are unwilling to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound 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 build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will encourage more people globally to explore these tales and travel to the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
