Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a select list of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it joins a global network of cities urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its soul: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued dialogue from waking up until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine 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, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – little-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and involved. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though say that their children are unwilling to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to discover these tales and travel to the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
