Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, UNESCO honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a prestigious group of global cities and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a worldwide network of over 400 urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted food heritage and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a official from Unesco's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following 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 honor for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its inhabitants or dedicated food lovers. Many agree with the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's most populous state – is finally in the global gaze for what has perennially characterized its soul: an immense love for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a ongoing conversation from waking up until night in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, refined, and taken to exquisite levels in their royal kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was invented to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so silky 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 tightly closed with dough.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates local ingredients but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on every corner, there are little shops and kiosks – hidden gems that are extremely loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start gathering from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can make their way to a no-frills joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still in great demand for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also boasts special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and involved. The vendor hand-churns the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their children are reluctant to master the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's immense food legacy puts it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – crafted by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The worldwide honor, it is believed, will encourage more people worldwide to learn these tales and experience the city to savour the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.