Mouth-watering kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors alike celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select list of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a global network of cities cities across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and lively culinary scene," as stated by a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this coveted list of 70 global destinations around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, chaotic, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always characterized its soul: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a ongoing discussion from waking up until going to bed in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were hubs of culinary innovations, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was created to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Virtually on countless corners, there are little shops and kiosks – little-known gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The method of making it is precise and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though note that their children are reluctant to master the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's profound food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will inspire more people worldwide to discover these stories and experience the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
