Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and travelers alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, UNESCO recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a key factor of sustainable urban development".
The accolade "demonstrates its deep-rooted culinary traditions and lively gastronomic culture," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this time-honored city comes as little surprise to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant conversation from waking up until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is noted for its tender kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of culinary innovations, blending Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was created to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only celebrates local ingredients but also gives the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a unpretentious joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular 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 remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The vendor beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of though express concern that their children are reluctant to master the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will inspire more people around the world to discover these stories and travel to the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
