Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and tourists equally swearing by its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, UNESCO designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of more than four hundred metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "demonstrates its centuries-old culinary traditions and lively culinary scene," according to a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position 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 hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its heart: an immense passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, perfected, and elevated to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of food experimentation, merging Iranian and local 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. The story goes that the galouti kebab was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy 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 traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just showcases seasonal produce but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – hidden treasures that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a no-frills joint located 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their children are reluctant to learn the craft.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is anticipated, will motivate more people worldwide to discover these tales and visit the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
