Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
An International Accolade
Recently, UNESCO honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a exclusive roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant gastronomic culture," according to a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this historic city is little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, lively, and eclectic city – the capital of India's most populous state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently shaped its soul: an immense love for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a constant conversation from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
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, refined, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a repertoire 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases seasonal produce but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on every corner, there are small establishments and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a no-frills joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand 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 unique seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and complicated. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their children are unwilling to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will encourage more people around the world to discover these narratives and travel to the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
