Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
An International Accolade
Last month, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select list of global cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it joins a international community of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "demonstrates its profound food heritage and lively culinary scene," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has perennially shaped its heart: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from morning until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover 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 (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – little-known treasures that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a simple joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and demanding. The artisan beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though express concern that their children are unwilling to take up the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will motivate more people around the world to discover these narratives and visit the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
