Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and tourists alike swearing by its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive list of world cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this venerable city is hardly a shock to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many agree with the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an unparalleled love for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a continued discussion from morning until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and raised to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of food experimentation, merging Persian and local 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. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a collection 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 also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known gems that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their children are unwilling to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense 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 occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to discover these tales and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
