Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists equally swearing by its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, Unesco designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select list of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The accolade "is a testament to its deep-rooted food heritage and vibrant culinary scene," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this time-honored 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 adored, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its soul: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing discussion from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and elevated to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array 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 doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are little shops and carts – hidden gems that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their children are unwilling to learn the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will motivate more people worldwide to explore these stories and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
