Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and tourists equally praising its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, UNESCO recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a exclusive group of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old food heritage and lively culinary scene," according to a representative from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city is no surprise to its locals or dedicated food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the limelight for what has always defined its soul: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing discussion from morning until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, perfected, and raised to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to 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 fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – lesser-known delights that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, 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 offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is precise and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however note that their children do not want to master the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said 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, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will inspire more people globally to learn these stories and visit the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
