Tempting kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and tourists alike celebrating its superb cuisine.
A Global Honor
Recently, Unesco designated it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious list of international urban centers and sparking hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a global network of cities metropolises across over 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "stands as proof of its profound food heritage and lively gastronomic culture," according to a spokesperson from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this prestigious list of 70 global destinations internationally.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this venerable city comes as hardly a shock to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many agree with the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, 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 unparalleled devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how should it be prepared' is a constant conversation from waking up until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often judged by the excellence of food that comes out of your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were invented, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their royal kitchens.
These royal kitchens were hubs of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was created to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with raw papaya, saffron, and spices and made it so fine 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 prepared on a low, slow heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and carts – hidden gems that are wildly loved by the locals.
In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start assembling from 5 am at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills 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 freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).
Preserving Tradition for the Future
The city also offers remarkable treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of but say that their younger generation are reluctant to master the skill.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy puts it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The real value from the UNESCO recognition, however, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people globally to learn these stories and visit the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
