Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
An International Accolade
Last month, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it becomes part of a worldwide network of over 400 metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem," as stated by a representative from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the spotlight for what has consistently defined its soul: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a constant conversation from morning until going to bed in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent 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 highlights local ingredients but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – lesser-known gems that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a no-frills joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 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 presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and complicated. The cook whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their children are reluctant to learn the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to explore these tales and travel to the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
