Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The northern Indian city of Lucknow has consistently been a food lovers' paradise, with residents and travelers equally celebrating its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
In a recent announcement, UNESCO honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – including it in a prestigious group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this title, it joins a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across over 100 countries committed to promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of sustainable urban development".
The recognition "stands as proof of its profound culinary traditions and dynamic food ecosystem," as stated by a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.
Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to secure a position in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The honor for this time-honored city is little surprise to its locals or avid food lovers. Many echo the opinion that it is "an honor long overdue".
With the UNESCO designation, this adored, chaotic, and vibrant city – the capital of India's biggest state – is finally in the limelight for what has consistently defined its heart: an immense passion for food.
"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a continued dialogue from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are often evaluated by the standard of food that is produced in your kitchen."
An Imperial Food Tradition
The City of Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.
These kitchens of the nobility were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, blending Iranian and indigenous 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 created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it needed no chewing.
But arguably the biggest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover securely closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Besides the obvious 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 just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a haven for vegetarians.
The local Baniya community's cuisine not only highlights seasonal produce but also provides the city its meticulously prepared Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Almost on countless corners, there are little shops and stalls – hidden delights that are wildly popular with 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 milky masala chai, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.
To start the day, one can visit a simple joint operating in the old city area of Aminabad. Nearly 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).
Ensuring Legacy Continues
The city also presents special treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and involved. The cook hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its unique light consistency.
On crisp mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. Some however express concern that their children do not want to take up the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's rich food legacy places 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 create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by multi-generational food businesses, from modest street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is hoped, will inspire more people worldwide to learn these stories and travel to the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.
