Who Invented Dal Makhani & Butter Chicken? Battle Over Title of 'Inventor' Reaches Delhi High Court

Who invented Butter Chicken? Or for that matter Dal Makhani! Well, the jury is still out as two renowned restaurants in the national capital – each with a rich culinary legacy of its own – are fighting it out over the title of ‘inventor’ with their existing tussle now escalating into a full-blown legal battle.

Hoping to settle the debate for once and for all, Delhi's two elite restaurants – Moti Mahal and Daryagan – have made their way to the Delhi High Court, with each entity claiming the title of ‘inventor’, reports suggest.

According to Bar & Bench (a news portal essentially reporting on Supreme Court of India, besides covering Delhi HC & Bombay HC), the proprietors of Moti Mahal have filed a case against Daryaganj restaurant owners over the use of the tagline “Inventors of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani”.

In its petition, Moti Mahal has reportedly claimed that Daryaganj restaurant is “misleading people into believing” that there is a relation between the two restaurants. The claim comes amid the backdrop of Moti Mahal opening its first-ever branch in the Daryaganj area of the national capital.

On January 16, the court presided by Justice Sanjeev Narula, issued summons to the Daryaganj restaurant owners, asking them to file a written response to the suit filed by Moti Mahal within a month's time, the Bar & Bench report said.

The next hearing in the matter has been posted for May 29.

(With inputs from the Bar & Bench)