Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious roster of global cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this title, it becomes part of a worldwide network of more than four hundred cities across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "demonstrates its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic food ecosystem," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers around the world.
A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine
The honor for this historic city comes as no surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has perennially shaped its soul: an profound love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant dialogue from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and elevated to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and a blend of 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 low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a collection 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 vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only showcases seasonal produce but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – hidden delights that are extremely favored by the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, large gatherings start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in clay glasses, along with incredibly soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can make their way to a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is intricate and demanding. The cook whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but express concern that their children do not want to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – influenced by 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 globally to discover these tales and travel to the city to taste the culinary delights of Lucknow.
