Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
An International Accolade
Last month, Unesco honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a exclusive roster of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a driver of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted culinary traditions and dynamic 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 chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this venerable city comes as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the spotlight for what has perennially defined its heart: an immense love for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a constant dialogue from waking up until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
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 singular take on biryani that were created, evolved, and raised to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, blending Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, slow heat, with the container's cover securely sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases fresh harvests but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and stalls – hidden gems that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their younger generation are reluctant to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – crafted by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will encourage more people globally to explore these tales and experience the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
