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Mouth-watering kebabs, scented biryani, and airy, cloud-like desserts.

The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has consistently been a haven for gastronomes, with inhabitants and tourists equally celebrating its exquisite cuisine.

Worldwide Recognition

Last month, UNESCO honored it as a Creative City of Gastronomy – adding it to a prestigious group of international urban centers and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it enters a global network of more than four hundred urban centers across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a key factor of development that sustains urban life".

The honor "stands as proof of its deep-rooted gastronomic legacy and dynamic gastronomic culture," as stated by a representative from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.

Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was selected in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of 70 cities around the world.

An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul

The accolade for this time-honored city is hardly a shock to its locals or passionate food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "better late than never".

With the UNESCO recognition, this adored, bustling, and eclectic city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is now in the spotlight for what has always shaped its essence: an profound love for food.

"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a continued discussion from waking up until night in most homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the quality of food that emerges from your kitchen."

A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine

The City of the Nawabs – as it's popularly called after its 18th and 19th-century wealthy Muslim rulers – is renowned for its succulent kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, evolved, and elevated to extraordinary levels in their imperial kitchens.

These imperial kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Persian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.

It was during this time that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. As the tale is told that the mutton galouti was invented to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His chefs processed the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and 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-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid tightly sealed with a flour paste.

A Diverse Culinary Landscape

Apart from the well-known kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a vast array 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 also a haven for vegetarians.

The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine doesn't just highlights local ingredients but also offers the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.

Time-Tested Food Joints

Nearly on every corner, there are small establishments and carts – hidden delights that are immensely loved by the locals.

In the central district of Hazratganj, large gatherings start milling around from early morning at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in earthenware cups, along with incredibly soft buns lathered with hand-churned white butter.

For breakfast, one can head to a simple joint located in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was set up, the place is still much sought-after for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).

Ensuring Legacy Continues

The city also presents special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert available in the winter. The technique of making it is precise and demanding. The vendor whisks the milk and then sets it out at night, allowing the dew to give it its amazing airy feel.

On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but express concern that their younger generation do not want to take up the art.

A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has frequently stated that the city's profound food legacy places it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its under-the-radar eateries.

Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – influenced by family-run food businesses, from modest street carts to busy restaurants, and guarded family recipes.

The global recognition, it is hoped, will motivate more people around the world to learn these tales and visit the city to delight in the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.