Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive roster of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it becomes part of a worldwide network of over 400 metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic food ecosystem," as noted by a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is finally in the spotlight for what has perennially shaped its essence: an immense passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing conversation from waking up until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, perfected, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet 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 local ingredients but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Nearly on every corner, there are little shops and carts – little-known delights that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start milling around from 5 am at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also boasts special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their children do not want to learn the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said 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 occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will motivate more people globally to learn these narratives and travel to the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
