Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a select group of global cities and igniting hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it becomes part of a worldwide network of cities metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The honor "is a testament to its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the capital of India's most populous state – is now in the spotlight for what has always shaped its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a continued conversation from morning until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it needed 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 low, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks 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 only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates seasonal produce but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are little shops and stalls – little-known gems that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was established, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and complicated. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though say that their younger generation are reluctant to take up the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will motivate more people worldwide to learn these narratives and experience the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
