Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and visitors equally swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a select group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "is a testament to its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," according to 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 earn a spot in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this historic city is hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, bustling, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is finally in the limelight for what has always shaped its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a ongoing conversation from morning until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The Nawabi City – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases seasonal produce but also gives the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – hidden delights that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling 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 incredibly soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but note that their children do not want to take up the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to discover these stories and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
