Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally praising its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a prestigious roster of world cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it becomes part of a global network of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," according to 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 find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from waking up until going to bed in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were hubs of food experimentation, merging Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft 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 cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are little shops and kiosks – hidden treasures that are immensely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a no-frills joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, 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 remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but note that their younger generation are unwilling to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will inspire more people around the world to learn these stories and travel to the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
