Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic 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 celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "demonstrates its centuries-old food heritage and lively culinary scene," as stated by a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this venerable city is no surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, lively, and eclectic city – the capital of India's most populous state – is now in the limelight for what has consistently defined its heart: an unparalleled love for food.
"'The day's menu, the method of preparation' is a continued discussion from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian 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. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases fresh harvests but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a simple joint located in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was established, 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 boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and demanding. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their children are reluctant to take up the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will motivate more people worldwide to learn these tales and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
