Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and travelers equally praising its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a exclusive list of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a international community of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The accolade "is a testament to its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has consistently characterized its heart: an immense passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a continued dialogue from morning until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is noted for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a simple joint operating in the old city area 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 unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and complicated. The cook hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their younger generation do not want to learn the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's profound food legacy places it at the very pinnacle 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 lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will motivate more people around the world to explore these stories and visit the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
