Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and travelers equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – placing it on a select group of global cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a worldwide network of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its profound gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The accolade for this time-honored city comes as hardly a shock to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many share the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, lively, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an profound love for food.
"'The day's menu, the method of preparation' is a ongoing conversation from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are truly evaluated by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of food experimentation, fusing Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Almost on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – little-known gems that are extremely 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 steaming cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 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 boasts special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is precise and complicated. The vendor whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their children are unwilling to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said 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 occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will encourage more people globally to learn these tales and travel to the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
