Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a exclusive roster of global cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this designation, it joins a worldwide network of over 400 urban centers across over 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem," as stated by a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this historic city arrives as little surprise to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has consistently characterized its essence: an profound love for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, 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 created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases fresh harvests but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a simple joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also offers special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and complicated. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however express concern that their younger generation do not want to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said 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, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will encourage more people around the world to learn these tales and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
