Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike swearing by its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a select list of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it becomes part of a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and vibrant culinary scene," as stated by a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this coveted list of 70 global destinations internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this time-honored city comes as no surprise to its residents or avid food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its heart: an profound love for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from waking up until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, evolved, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created 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 traditionally vegetarian 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 – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on every corner, there are little shops and stalls – lesser-known treasures that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is scientific and demanding. The cook hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound 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 under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will motivate more people around the world to learn these narratives and experience the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
