Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and visitors equally swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a international community of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old culinary traditions and dynamic culinary scene," as stated by a representative from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the limelight for what has perennially defined its soul: an profound devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the standard of food that comes out of 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 singular take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were epicenters of food experimentation, fusing Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. 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 chefs ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known treasures that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a unpretentious joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, 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 offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though note that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to discover these stories and visit the city to savour the food wonders of Lucknow.
