Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and travelers equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select group of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this status, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its centuries-old culinary traditions and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has consistently shaped its soul: an immense devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was created to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet 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 not only showcases local ingredients but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on every corner, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known gems that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint situated 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).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and demanding. The artisan whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their younger generation are reluctant to master the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will motivate more people worldwide to discover these stories and travel to the city to savour the food wonders of Lucknow.
