Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and tourists alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a select group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it becomes part of a international community of cities metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and lively food ecosystem," as noted by a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's most populous state – is now in the global gaze for what has consistently defined its heart: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from waking up until going to bed in most homes," notes 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 historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and taken to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, fusing Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Virtually on every corner, there are little shops and carts – little-known gems that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is precise and complicated. The vendor beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to discover these narratives and visit the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
