In recent news, the origins of the beloved dish, butter chicken, have become the subject of a messy court battle in Delhi, India. Two competing restaurants and families, both claiming a lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant, have found themselves entangled in a legal dispute over who truly invented the flavorful curry. The lawsuit, filed by the family of Kundan Lal Gujral, one of the original founders of Moti Mahal, alleges that rival chain Daryaganj has wrongly taken credit for creating butter chicken. Not only are they seeking $240,000 in damages, but they also claim that Daryaganj has falsely attributed the invention of dal makhani, another popular dish, to themselves. While disputes over culinary ownership are not unprecedented, this particular battle has garnered significant attention due to the widespread popularity of butter chicken.
The various versions regarding the invention of butter chicken all trace back to a man named Mokha Singh and his employees, who worked in different restaurants across the Indian subcontinent. The story begins in pre-Independent India in Peshawar, where Singh ran a successful restaurant called Moti Mahal. However, when India was partitioned in 1947, Singh and his Hindu employees moved to Delhi, losing touch with each other in the process. It wasn’t until they unexpectedly reunited years later that butter chicken came into existence. Kundan Lal Gujral, his cousin Kundan Lal Jaggi, and Thakur Das Mago convinced Singh to let them establish a new Moti Mahal in Delhi. It was at this small open-air diner in Daryaganj that butter chicken was born out of frugality and creativity. The chefs combined leftover tikkas with a thick tomato gravy and generous amounts of butter, creating a dish that soon gained popularity among politicians and prominent figures, including India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Kundan Lal Gujral was initially celebrated as the face behind the success of Moti Mahal and its butter chicken. However, after financial difficulties forced the Gujral family to lease out the restaurant in 1960, a separate chain called Moti Mahal Deluxe was launched a few years later by the Gujrals. This separation resulted in Kundan Lal Jaggi, the grandson of the second partner, opening a rival chain called Daryaganj in 2019. Daryaganj’s owners claimed that Kundan Lal Jaggi, who was responsible for the kitchen, invented butter chicken and other signature dishes. In response, the Gujrals asserted that Jaggi played a minor role and that butter chicken was the creation of Kundan Lal Gujral himself during his time in Peshawar.
The ongoing court battle now centers around restraining Daryaganj from falsely proclaiming themselves as the inventors of butter chicken. However, it is worth noting that disputes over dish ownership often have minimal impact on customers, who primarily seek out dishes they enjoy without concerning themselves with historical origins. With countless examples of culinary creations being credited to multiple sources or even entire regions, the focus shifts to the quality of the dish itself rather than who invented it. Just as the invention of chicken tikka masala is attributed to various individuals and regions, butter chicken has become a widespread staple found in countless restaurants throughout the world.
To settle the issue, lawyers anticipate the court will rely on circumstantial evidence and testimonies from individuals who have consumed the dish over the years. The existence of a handwritten recipe by one of the partners could potentially help the judges determine the true origins of butter chicken. However, as of now, no such evidence has come to light. Regardless of the court’s ruling, it is unlikely to significantly impact the success of either Moti Mahal or Daryaganj. Both establishments have carved out their own reputations and loyal customer bases.
Ultimately, the battle for ownership of butter chicken serves as a testament to the emotional attachment individuals have to their family legacies and the desire to protect their ancestors’ reputations. However, in the realm of food, the journey and evolution of recipes transcend individual ownership. As dishes travel across borders, they adapt to local palates and gain new interpretations. The true value lies not in who invented a particular dish, but in the ability to prepare it with exceptional quality and satisfy the taste buds of diners. So, as the court battles unfold in Delhi, let us remember that beyond the courtroom drama, it is the shared experience of enjoying a flavorful plate of butter chicken that truly matters.
