Lucknow's gastronomy goes global: Foodies rejoice at UNESCO nod

Lucknow, Nov 1 (PTI) Lucknow's food has always represented a paradise for gourmands, whether they slurp up its aromatic gravies or savour the silken delicacies.

Now that a confirmation has come from UNESCO, too, with the city's inclusion in the Creative Cities Network (CCN) for gastronomy, it has delighted the foodies in the state capital, who feel this global listing will now make the city's cuisine even more popular.

Mohd Usman, owner of the iconic tundey kebab shop in the city's Khyaliganj area, says, "We don't just love having good food, we take great pride in serving it too. Nothing satisfies a true Lucknowite more than seeing someone relishing the city's signature dishes." His kebab shop is a haven for food lovers.

But then Lucknow isn't just about his melt-in-your-mouth kebabs. There is a huge platter -- both for vegetarians and non-veg lovers -- to choose from, and that is again just a fragment of Lucknow's food story.

If the ever-inviting, rather demure, creamy malai gilori is an all-time favourite, the literally mouth-watering paani puri or paani ke batashe, as they are commonly called in Lucknow, are not much behind on popularity charts.

Paired with the tangy aloo chat and matar, they make an awesome three-some for foodies.

You can have your pick from flaky sheermaal or white buttery kulchas, pair it with niharis, tuck into aromatic, slow-cooked biryani or daal-gosht, and enjoy the smoky patthar ke kebabs along with a rather full platter that includes dum aloo and dahi ke kebab as well.

The city's culinary landscape also comprises crispy khasta-aloo-matar combo that is usually hard to miss during weekends, and the sweet treats like thandai and shahi tukdas never fail to impress either.

The appeal of Lucknow's culinary delights is heightened further due to the secret recipes that have lived on for generations.

"Lucknow cuisine evolved in the kitchens of the Awadh region, influenced in a big way by Mughal emperors," says Hina Khan, who runs a food channel named 'foodstoriesbysoni'.

"The Lucknow cuisine is celebrated for its refined techniques, slow-cooking methods, especially its hallmark ‘dum’ style of cooking, where dishes are sealed and gently steamed to concentrate flavors without losing moisture," she told PTI.

Many signature dishes, like the famously succulent galawati kebabs and nihari, are slow-cooked for hours, allowing the ingredients to meld beautifully and achieve a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, she adds.

Deepti Pandey, who has only recently transformed her cloud kitchen into a proper dine-in vegetarian restaurant 'Claypot' in the city's Ashiyana area, says in Lucknow, food is always paired with love.

"The cuisine, when paired with our famed culture and customs, makes for a terrific trio, possibly why Lucknow made it to UNESCO's global list, and this surely is great publicity for our culinary heritage," she says.

Himanshu Bajpai, a storyteller and author, told PTI that the new recognition is indeed very good for the city.

"As a Lucknowite, we know about the various culinary delights here, their relevance, and their importance. The new global title will definitely give instant happiness to us, but the bigger takeaway is that the Lakhnavi food, which was already known across the globe, will further cement its place among the food connoisseurs. People from far and wide will now evince more interest in Lakhnavi food," Bajpai says.

Lucknow city was officially inducted into UNESCO's CCN on Friday, under the 'Gastronomy' category, marking a global acknowledgement of its culinary heritage, officials said.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay on October 31 designated 58 cities as new members of the CCN, which now includes 408 cities across more than 100 countries.

Cities in this network are recognised for their commitment to championing creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development, according to the UN agency.

UP's Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said this recognition reaffirms the growing strength of the tourism sector and the state's progress toward a 'Viksit Uttar Pradesh'. The Uttar Pradesh government, in a post on social media, said, "This recognition celebrates the city's rich culinary traditions, Awadhi heritage, and its growing role in promoting sustainable and innovative gastronomy. A moment of pride for Uttar Pradesh, where every flavour reflects centuries of culture and creativity." PTI MAN NAV PRK PRK