Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and visitors alike swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this title, it becomes part of a worldwide network of over 400 cities across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The honor "demonstrates its profound gastronomic legacy and lively gastronomic culture," according to a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this venerable city arrives as little surprise to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, lively, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is now in the global gaze for what has consistently shaped its heart: an unparalleled love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until night in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its succulent kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of culinary innovations, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. The story goes that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a vast array 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 also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates fresh harvests but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The vendor beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their younger generation do not want to master the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will encourage more people globally to explore these tales and experience the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
