Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, Unesco recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive group of world cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The honor "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and vibrant gastronomic culture," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this historic city comes as hardly a shock to its locals or dedicated food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, lively, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always characterized its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'The day's menu, the method of preparation' is a constant conversation from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of food experimentation, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their children are unwilling to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will inspire more people worldwide to discover these stories and travel to the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
