Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with residents and visitors alike celebrating its exquisite cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a select roster of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its centuries-old culinary traditions and lively food ecosystem," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The recognition for this time-honored city is no surprise to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many share the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the global gaze for what has always defined its essence: an profound passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, the method of preparation' is a ongoing conversation from waking up until going to bed in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed 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 wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, refined, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But perhaps the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also built up a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Almost on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – lesser-known treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from 5 am at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in kulhads, along with fluffy buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The cook whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On chilly mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some though note that their younger generation do not want to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will inspire more people around the world to discover these tales and visit the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
