In the world of culinary disputes, the renowned Indian cuisine, Butter Chicken (known as 奶油咖哩雞 in Taiwan), has sparked a legal battle over its origin, grabbing global attention in the process. According to reports by Reuters, the ongoing court case has escalated with the emergence of new evidence, intensifying the legal warfare surrounding this beloved dish.
Since January, two Indian restaurant chains have been embroiled in a heated debate at the Delhi High Court, each claiming to be the true inventor of this iconic dish.
The long-established eatery, Moti Mahal, asserts itself as the sole creator of this curry chicken dish and has demanded its younger competitor, Daryaganj, to cease claiming ownership while also seeking $240,000 in compensation.
Moti Mahal claims that its founder, Kundan Lal Gujral, concocted this creamy delicacy at a restaurant in Peshawar (now in Pakistan) during the 1930s and brought the recipe to New Delhi post the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, subsequently becoming a partner at Moti Mahal restaurant.
In a 642-page counterclaim document seen by Reuters, Daryaganj alleges that the story of Butter Chicken’s invention by the plaintiffs sounds implausible and aims to mislead the court.
Daryaganj asserts that their late founding family member, Kundan Lal Jaggi, invented the contentious dish when he relocated to Delhi after being the head chef at Moti Mahal in Peshawar and that Gujral, his friend and partner from Peshawar, was merely involved in marketing.
Gujral and Jaggi passed away in 1997 and 2018, respectively.
Evidence from undisclosed documents includes a black and white photograph from the 1930s showing the two friends in Peshawar, their 1949 partnership agreement at Moti Mahal, Jaggi’s business card post his move to Delhi, and a video from 2017 discussing the origins of the dish.
Daryaganj claims in the lawsuit that due to the partnership between friends, “both parties can claim that their respective ancestors invented these dishes”, labeling the dispute as “commercial competition”.
The case is set to be heard by a judge on May 29.
Butter Chicken uses tomato sauce as its base. The chicken, tender and soaked in the tanginess and mild sweetness of tomatoes, is elevated by the richness of full-fat milk and butter, enhancing the harmony of flavors in the dish.
According to various media reports, Butter Chicken is not only a household name in India but also renowned internationally. The rich aroma of this chicken cooked in buttery curry is used for pizza in the United States, made into a poutine topping in Canada, and crafted into pie fillings in Australia.
Reportedly, Butter Chicken ranks 43rd on TasteAtlas’ list of the world’s “best dishes”, rated the second-best Indian food by nearly 400,000 users.
Founded in 1947, Moti Mahal restaurant has catered to India’s first Prime Minister Nehru and former U.S. President Nixon.
This chain operates through a franchise model, with over 100 outlets globally. Their Butter Chicken dish starts at $8 in New Delhi and is priced at $23 in New York.
Daryaganj, established in 2019, sells its Butter Chicken for $7.5. The company has 10 outlets, primarily in New Delhi, and plans to expand to other Indian cities and Bangkok.
In a lengthy 2,752-page Indian lawsuit, Moti Mahal accuses Daryaganj of “comprehensive plagiarism”, claiming that the restaurant’s exterior and ambiance are exact replicas.
Daryaganj rebuts by using interior photos of the restaurant, pending examination by the judge, alleging that Moti Mahal copied their “tile design”.