Mouth-watering kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.
The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has long been a food lovers' paradise, with locals and visitors equally celebrating its remarkable cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization honored it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – including it in a exclusive group of world cities and sparking hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a international community of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".
The recognition "stands as proof of its centuries-old culinary traditions and dynamic food ecosystem," according to a official from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is only the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was picked in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities worldwide.
A City Defined by Food
The accolade for this historic city comes as little surprise to its residents or dedicated food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "a recognition that was delayed".
With the UNESCO recognition, this cherished, chaotic, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's most populous state – is at last in the limelight for what has always defined its heart: an profound passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a ongoing conversation from waking up until going to bed in most homes," notes a local cultural expert. "And you are actually 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 famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were conceived, perfected, and raised to sublime levels in their imperial kitchens.
These royal kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, fusing Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.
It was in that period that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were developed. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to feed an ageing nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks minced the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But perhaps the biggest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with a flour paste.
A Diverse Culinary Landscape
Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.
Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries
Virtually on every corner, there are little shops and kiosks – little-known delights that are immensely favored by the locals.
In the central district of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in hand-churned white butter.
For breakfast, one can visit a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still much sought-after 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 special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert savored in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and complicated. The cook beats the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.
On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though express concern that their children are unwilling to master the skill.
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, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.
The global recognition, it is anticipated, will inspire more people worldwide to discover these stories and travel to the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
