Goodbye Lucknow kebabs? Report says Uttar Pradesh to adapt gas cooking to curb pollution

Lucknow is famous for its cuisine, especially their kebabs and tandoori items. The coal-fired delicacy will be seeing a shift in the way they will be prepared.

The civic body has proposed shifting coal-fired tandoors to gas-powered cooking. This initiative is to control the air pollution in Lucknow.

Municipal Commissioner Indirjit Singh said that study has found that there is a reduction in AQI and so people are told to use gas tandoors.

"There are more than 2,000 tandoors operating. We found through study with Teri (The Energy and Resources Institute) that there was drastic reduction in AQI. We are appealing to them to change to gas tandoors," he said, as reported by NDTV.

As this will be a major change for restaurant owners, they believe they will have to adapt to the change. Mohd Usman told the publication that the government's initiative must be followed.

"See there is some special thing about charcoal, but if the government is taking the initiative, then we need to adapt to the changing world, like what happens in Dubai. Sigri is used," he said. Usman is the owner of 120-year-old restaurant 'Tunday Kababi'.

The owner of a 90-year-old shop in Ameenabad of Uttar Pradesh said that the gas cannot cook the kebabs from the inside the way the coal fire does. "The coal roasts the food softly, gas can't do the same thing. The taste of coal is completely different," he said.

Another owner believes that the identity of Lucknow's food will be lost. He said, "Kulches and Shreemals are loved a lot. Shreemals can't be cooked on gas as we need to sprinkle water, the identity of Lucknow's food will be lost."

The customers also believe that this change can bring in some major changes in the flavour of the food. "The smoky flavour will go away. We've come from Kanpur to have it. This is globally famous. A midway should be thought of," a resident told NDTV.

However, some also believe that it was needed in order to save the environment from getting affected badly.

Dr Praveen Gupta, who is a resident of Panipat said," While the flavour might change. Sometimes we have to look at the environment also."