Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and whipped, cloud-like desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a dream destination for epicures, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Last month, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognised it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a select roster of global cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's exceptional food. With this designation, it joins a worldwide network of more than four hundred metropolises across more than 100 countries dedicated to promoting "creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and lively gastronomic culture," as noted by a representative from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to earn a spot in this prestigious list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's largest state – is now in the global gaze for what has always defined its heart: an immense devotion for food.
"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from morning until going to bed in many homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually judged by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."
A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine
The City of the Nawabs – as it's widely known after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a singular take on biryani that were invented, perfected, and taken to exquisite levels in their opulent kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Persian and native Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft 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 prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also developed a collection of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a sweet bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is far more than kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Iconic Stalls and Historic Shops
Nearly on many street corners, there are small establishments and carts – little-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.
In the city center of Hazratganj, huge crowds start assembling from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, served in kulhads, along with fluffy buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 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 offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert savored in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and complicated. The artisan whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however say that their younger generation do not want to learn the craft.
A celebrity chef from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy positions it among the best of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will materialize only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its hidden eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to explore these stories and travel to the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.
