Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.
The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has long been a haven for gastronomes, with locals and visitors alike swearing by its superb cuisine.
Worldwide Recognition
Recently, Unesco honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a exclusive group of global cities and sparking hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this designation, it enters a global network of cities cities across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "creativity as a driver of city development that is sustainable".
The honor "demonstrates its profound culinary traditions and lively food ecosystem," as noted by a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.
Lucknow is just the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.
An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul
The recognition for this historic city arrives as hardly a shock to its locals or avid food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "better late than never".
With the UNESCO designation, this cherished, bustling, and eclectic city – the capital of India's largest state – is now in the limelight for what has consistently shaped its soul: an immense devotion for food.
"'What will be cooked, how will it be cooked' is a ongoing conversation from morning until night in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the excellence of food that is produced in your kitchen."
A Royal Culinary Legacy
The City of the Nawabs – as it's often referred to after its historic wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and raised to exquisite levels in their royal kitchens.
These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the cuisine of Awadh.
It was in this era that Lucknow's iconic kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the galouti kebab was invented to feed an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so silky that it required no chewing.
But arguably the most significant contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is cooked on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly closed with dough.
Beyond Kebabs and Biryani
Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).
However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a vegetarian's paradise.
The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only celebrates fresh harvests but also provides the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – zesty fried snacks.
Time-Tested Food Joints
Nearly on countless corners, there are little shops and kiosks – lesser-known treasures that are immensely favored by 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 steaming cup of milky masala chai, offered in kulhads, along with pillowy soft buns slathered with hand-churned white butter.
To start the day, one can head to a unpretentious joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, 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 special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and demanding. The artisan whisks the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its unique airy feel.
On crisp mornings, street vendors are often seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many though note that their younger generation are reluctant to master the craft.
A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has noted that the city's immense food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will materialize only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its lesser-known eateries.
Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to lively restaurants, and closely held family recipes.
The international acclaim, it is believed, will inspire more people worldwide to learn these stories and travel to the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.
