Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and travelers alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select list of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it becomes part of a worldwide network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".
The accolade "is a testament to its centuries-old food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to find a place in this coveted list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The accolade for this historic city arrives as little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the capital of India's largest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its soul: an immense passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often assessed by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, evolved, and elevated to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were developed. The story goes that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with dough.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just showcases local ingredients but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and carts – little-known treasures that are wildly favored by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, served in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a unpretentious joint situated in the old city area 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).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The method of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible airy feel.
On chilly mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but note that their children do not want to take up the art.
A renowned chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's rich 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 generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will motivate more people globally to learn these stories and experience the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
