Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "stands as proof of its profound gastronomic legacy and dynamic culinary scene," as stated by a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to secure a position in this coveted list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this historic city is no surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently shaped its essence: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing discussion from morning until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the quality of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced 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-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up 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 haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – hidden treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, offered in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and involved. The artisan whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the skill.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle 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 hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will motivate more people around the world to explore these tales and experience the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
