Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and visitors alike swearing by its exquisite cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive list of global cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it becomes part of a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a catalyst of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its centuries-old food heritage and dynamic culinary scene," according to a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this historic city comes as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many share the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is finally in the limelight for what has consistently characterized its soul: an profound devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, the method of preparation' is a continued conversation from waking up until going to bed in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly evaluated by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and taken to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were hubs of culinary innovations, blending Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. As the tale is told that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists processed the meat with papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created 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 Baniya community's cuisine not only showcases fresh harvests but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known delights that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from early morning at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can make their way to a simple joint situated in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is scientific and complicated. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On chilly mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though say that their younger generation do not want to learn the art.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to learn these stories and visit the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
