Delectable kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and tourists equally swearing by its remarkable cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, UNESCO designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious list of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it joins a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a key factor 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 Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to secure a position in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations around the world.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this venerable city is no surprise to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many share the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this adored, chaotic, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is at last in the spotlight for what has always characterized its soul: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued dialogue from waking up until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were centers of food experimentation, blending Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His culinary artists minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant 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 closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (rich 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 dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights fresh harvests but also offers the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on every corner, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – little-known delights that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from the crack of dawn at a renowned tea stall to get a piping hot cup of milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
In the morning, one can head to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was founded, 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 offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and involved. The vendor whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing frothy texture.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but note that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy positions it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will encourage more people around the world to explore these tales and travel to the city to savour the food wonders of Lucknow.
