Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and visitors alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select list of world cities and igniting hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it enters a international community of cities metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "stands as proof of its deep-rooted culinary traditions and lively gastronomic culture," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its heart: an profound devotion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from morning until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and raised to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with 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-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – hidden gems that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however say that their children do not want to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is anticipated, will encourage more people globally to learn these tales and experience the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
