Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
An International Accolade
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it becomes part of a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," according to a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 cities internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, chaotic, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its heart: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the excellence 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 wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on countless corners, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from 5 am at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The cook 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 say that their children do not want to learn the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will motivate more people around the world to explore these narratives and visit the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
