Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists equally praising its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, UNESCO designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious group of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it joins a international community of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries dedicated to promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The recognition for this venerable city arrives as hardly a shock to its residents or avid food lovers. Many echo the sentiment that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has always defined its essence: an unparalleled passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant dialogue from morning until night in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, perfected, and raised to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of culinary innovations, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told 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 papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array 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 additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on every corner, there are small establishments and kiosks – little-known treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from early morning at a renowned tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can head to a unpretentious joint located 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).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and involved. The cook beats the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though say that their younger generation do not want to take up the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said 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, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to learn these tales and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
