Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, UNESCO honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select roster of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a international community of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old food heritage and dynamic food ecosystem," as noted by a representative from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, lively, and eclectic city – the capital of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always shaped its soul: an profound love for food.
"'The day's menu, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from morning until going to bed in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, refined, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a vast array 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 also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights fresh harvests but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a simple joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their younger generation do not want to learn the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's profound food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will motivate more people globally to discover these narratives and travel to the city to savour the food wonders of Lucknow.