Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and travelers alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, UNESCO recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select roster of world cities and kindling hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it enters a worldwide network of over 400 metropolises across over 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "stands as proof of its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and lively food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city is no surprise to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many share the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the global gaze for what has always characterized its soul: an immense passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – little-known gems that are immensely popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from 5 am at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The vendor whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though say that their younger generation are unwilling to learn the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will inspire more people worldwide to learn these stories and experience the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
