Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and visitors alike praising its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of global cities and igniting hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it becomes part of a international community of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "is a testament to its centuries-old food heritage and vibrant food ecosystem," as stated by a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always characterized its essence: an immense love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant discussion from morning until going to bed in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and raised to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, merging Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was invented 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 silky that it needed 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 pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on many street corners, there are small establishments and kiosks – hidden gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, 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 unique seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though say that their younger generation do not want to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will motivate more people around the world to explore these narratives and experience the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.