Two Restaurants In India Are Fighting Over Who Invented Butter Chicken And Now It’s Gone To Delhi’s High Court
The roots of this dispute can be traced back to pre-independence India, when the country was still under British rule.
Two restaurants in India are fighting over who invented butter chicken and now it’s gone all the way to Delhi’s high court.
First, let’s introduce the characters — Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, two iconic restaurants in India’s capital, Delhi.
The dispute erupted after Moti Mahal sued Daryaganj, saying it had not only falsely claimed it had invented butter chicken but dal makhani – a buttery lentil dish – too.
The roots of this story can be traced back to pre-independence India, when the country was still under British rule.
When India and Pakistan became independent countries in 1947, two men, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, migrated from Pakistan’s Peshawar to India’s Delhi.
There, they established a restaurant named Moti Mahal.
Over time, Moti Mahal became famous for introducing people to different tandoori cuisines, and in 1990s, Gujral and Jaggi sold the restaurant as a franchise.
Then, in 2019, Jaggi’s grandson opened Daryaganj to honor his grandfather’s legacy.
Moti Mahal says Gujral had invented butter chicken when he created a gravy with chopped tomatoes, cream, butter, spices and sugar so he could add it to leftover tandoori chicken every night.
On the other hand, Daryaganj says Jaggi had come up with the dish to feed a large group of refugees late one night when the kitchen was nearly out of stock except for some bits of tandoori chicken.
Moti Mahal, however, argues that the gravy for butter chicken can’t just be made on the spot.
It has sued Daryaganj for 20 million rupees or about 240,000 US dollars for unfair competition and infringing on its copyright.
The Delhi top court began its first hearing in January but has yet to pass judgement.
