Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists equally swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
An International Accolade
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a select list of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The honor "stands as proof of its deep-rooted food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," as noted by a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this coveted list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, lively, and eclectic city – the capital of India's biggest state – is now in the spotlight for what has always defined its soul: an profound devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and elevated to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. The story goes that the galouti kebab was invented to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on every corner, there are little shops and carts – little-known gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is precise and involved. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their younger generation are unwilling to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to discover these tales and experience the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
