Delectable kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with residents and visitors equally praising its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – including it in a select list of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it enters a worldwide network of cities cities across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".
The recognition "demonstrates its centuries-old gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," as noted by a representative from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of 70 cities around the world.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this venerable city is hardly a shock to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this beloved, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is at last in the limelight for what has always characterized its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, refined, and taken to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were hubs of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover securely closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
In addition to the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on many street corners, there are small establishments and carts – hidden treasures that are extremely popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
In the morning, one can visit a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage
The city also offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many however express concern that their younger generation do not want to master the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will encourage more people around the world to explore these narratives and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
