Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious roster of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "stands as proof of its centuries-old food heritage and lively culinary scene," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this time-honored city comes as little surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and eclectic city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always characterized its heart: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, merging Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest 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 dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent 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 doesn't just celebrates local ingredients but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a simple joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 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 boasts remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and complicated. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their younger generation are reluctant to master the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known 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 international acclaim, it is anticipated, will encourage more people globally to discover these narratives and visit the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
