Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and travelers alike swearing by its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant culinary scene," as stated by a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this venerable city arrives as no surprise to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is now in the limelight for what has perennially defined its heart: an profound devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing conversation from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed 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, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
In addition to the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created 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 not only highlights local ingredients but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on countless corners, there are small establishments and carts – little-known delights that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter 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).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and demanding. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their children do not want to take up the skill.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's profound food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will encourage more people around the world to discover these stories and travel to the city to savour the culinary delights of Lucknow.
