Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and travelers alike praising its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious roster of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it joins a global network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," as stated by a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the spotlight for what has consistently shaped its soul: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing dialogue from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its historic affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, perfected, and taken to exquisite levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy 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 not only celebrates local ingredients but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known gems that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with incredibly soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a unpretentious joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, 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 cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will inspire more people worldwide to explore these tales and travel to the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
