Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and travelers alike praising its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a select list of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a international community of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this historic city arrives as no surprise to its locals or dedicated food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always characterized its essence: an profound passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from waking up until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly assessed by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and raised to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of food experimentation, fusing Persian and local 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 devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases local ingredients but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – hidden treasures that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a no-frills joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, 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 boasts remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is scientific and involved. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though note that their children do not want to take up the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will motivate more people globally to learn these narratives and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
