Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and visitors alike celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – adding it to a select roster of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it joins a global network of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "innovation as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of seventy urban centers worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The honor for this historic city is hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO accolade, this beloved, bustling, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is now in the spotlight for what has consistently defined its soul: an immense love for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a continued conversation from waking up until going to bed in most homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the standard of food that comes out of your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, refined, and elevated to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.
These royal kitchens were hubs of culinary innovations, merging Iranian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was created to cater to an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs ground the meat with papaya, saffron, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it needed 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, slow heat, with the pot's lid securely sealed with a flour paste.
More Than Just Famous Dishes
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters 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 far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – hidden gems that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, large gatherings start assembling from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, served in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a unpretentious joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, 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 presents remarkable seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert available in the winter. The process of making it is precise and complicated. The cook whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but say that their younger generation are unwilling to take up the art.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy puts it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The global recognition, it is believed, will motivate more people worldwide to discover these narratives and experience the city to delight in the food wonders of Lucknow.
