The origins of butter chicken, a beloved Indian dish, have sparked a legal battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi. The lawsuit, filed in the Delhi High Court, involves families claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant, founded in 1947. The dispute centers around who truly invented the dish, with one family seeking damages and accusing the other of falsely taking credit for it.

The story of butter chicken’s creation dates back to pre-Independent India, where a man named Mokha Singh and his employees from Peshawar opened a restaurant in Delhi. It was here, in a small open-air diner in Daryaganj, that butter chicken was born out of frugality, using leftover tikkas mixed in a tomato gravy with butter. The dish gained immense popularity, attracting notable figures like India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to the restaurant.

Kundan Lal Gujral, a key figure in the creation of butter chicken, was initially credited for the recipe and the restaurant’s success. However, after his passing, disputes arose over ownership and credit for the dish. The legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the rival Daryaganj chain revolves around who had a greater role in the invention of butter chicken and other dishes.

While the fight for recognition and ownership of dishes is not uncommon in the culinary world, it often has little impact on customers who simply enjoy the food. The legacy of dishes can sometimes be clouded in history, with multiple claims to their invention. Ultimately, what matters most is the quality of the food served, rather than the disputes over who originally created it.

In the case of Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, the legal battle may prove challenging to resolve, as it involves determining the true origins of a dish created decades ago. The court will likely rely on circumstantial evidence and testimonies to settle the dispute. However, regardless of the outcome, both restaurants are likely to continue thriving, as the popularity of butter chicken transcends the ownership claims and remains a favorite among diners.

Original news source: Moti Mahal: India curry houses battle over butter chicken (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will come to the front of the class and act out a word or phrase related to the article, such as “butter chicken” or “restaurant”. The rest of the team members have to guess what the word or phrase is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all team members have had a chance to act out a word or phrase.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article to their partner. They should focus on the main points and important details. After each summary, the partner should give feedback and ask any questions they have about the article.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss their opinions on the legal battle over the origins of butter chicken. They should consider questions such as: Who do they think invented the dish? Should it matter who invented it? Should the restaurants be allowed to claim ownership? After the discussion, each group will present their opinions to the class and the class will vote on the most convincing argument.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Create a list of vocabulary words related to the article, such as “lawsuit”, “lineage”, and “frugality”. Divide the class into pairs. One person from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other person tries to guess the word. The pair that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of butter chicken and the legal battle. They should consider questions such as: Will the dispute ever be resolved? Will the popularity of butter chicken continue to grow? Will other restaurants claim to have invented the dish? Each group will present their predictions to the class and discuss their reasoning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the legal battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi about?
2. Who is claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant?
3. How was butter chicken created?
4. Who was initially credited for the recipe and the restaurant’s success?
5. What is the legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the Daryaganj chain about?
6. Why does the article mention that the fight for recognition and ownership of dishes is not uncommon in the culinary world?
7. What factors might the court rely on to settle the dispute over the origins of butter chicken?
8. How is the popularity of butter chicken described in the article?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The origins of butter (1)______, a beloved (2)______n dish, have sparked a (3)______ battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi. The lawsuit, filed in the Delhi High Court, involves (4)______ claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant, founded in 1947. The dispute centers around who truly invented the dish, with one family seeking damages and accusing the other of falsely taking credit for it.

The story of butter chicken’s creation dates back to pre-Independent India, where a man named Mokha Singh and his employees from Peshawar opened a restaurant in Delhi. It was here, in a small open-air diner in Daryaganj, that butter chicken was born out of (5)______, using leftover tikkas mixed in a tomato gravy with butter. The dish gained immense popularity, attracting (6)______ figures like India’s first (7)______ minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to the restaurant.

Kundan Lal Gujral, a key figure in the creation of butter chicken, was initially credited for the recipe and the restaurant’s success. However, after his passing, disputes (8)______ over ownership and credit for the dish. The legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the rival Daryaganj chain revolves around who had a (9)______ role in the (10)______ of butter chicken and other dishes.

While the fight for recognition and ownership of dishes is not (11)______ in the culinary world, it often has little impact on customers who simply enjoy the food. The (12)______ of dishes can sometimes be clouded in history, with multiple claims to their invention. Ultimately, what matters most is the quality of the food served, rather than the (13)______ over who originally created it.

In the case of Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, the legal battle may prove (14)______ to resolve, as it involves determining the true origins of a dish created decades ago. The court will likely rely on (15)______ evidence and testimonies to settle the dispute. However, regardless of the (16)______, both restaurants are likely to continue thriving, as the popularity of butter chicken transcends the ownership claims and remains a favorite among diners.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite Indian dish and why?
2. Have you ever been involved in a dispute over ownership or credit? How did it make you feel?
3. How important do you think it is for a restaurant to have a clear and accurate history of its dishes?
4. Do you think it’s fair for one family to seek damages from another over the invention of a dish? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if someone claimed credit for a dish that you had created?
6. Do you think the true origins of a dish are important to its enjoyment? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever had a dish that you thought was invented by one person, but later found out it was actually created by someone else? How did that change your perception of the dish?
8. What do you think is the most important factor in the success of a restaurant: the quality of the food or the reputation of the owners?
9. How do you think the court should determine the true origins of butter chicken? What evidence should they consider?
10. Do you think it’s possible for multiple people to independently invent the same dish? Why or why not?
11. How important is it for a restaurant to have a famous person associated with its dishes? Why or why not?
12. Have you ever eaten at a restaurant that claimed to have a famous dish, but you didn’t think it lived up to the hype? How did that make you feel?
13. Do you think the legal battle between Moti Mahal and Daryaganj will have any impact on the popularity of butter chicken? Why or why not?
14. How would you feel if you discovered that your favorite dish was actually invented by someone you didn’t like? Would it change your opinion of the dish?
15. Do you think it’s possible for a dish to be so popular that it becomes a cultural icon? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. origins
2. legal
3. lineage
4. renowned
5. frugality
6. notable
7. credited
8. disputes
9. ownership
10. culinary
11. legacy
12. clouded
13. circumstantial
14. testimonies
15. transcends

Meanings:
(A) To go beyond or rise above a limit or norm
(B) Something handed down from an ancestor or the past, especially an intangible thing like a tradition or reputation
(C) Arguments or conflicts arising from differing opinions or claims
(D) Descent from an ancestor or heritage
(E) Acknowledged as being responsible for something or having played a role in achieving something
(F) Related to cooking or the kitchen
(G) The legal right or title to something, such as property or intellectual property
(H) The point or place where something begins or is created
(I) Worthy of attention or regard, often because of impressive or significant achievements
(J) Made unclear, obscure, or difficult to understand
(K) Pertaining to the law or the use of lawsuits to settle disagreements
(L) Statements made by witnesses, usually in court
(M) Famous or well-known, typically for some admirable quality
(N) The quality of being economical with money or food
(O) Evidence based on inference rather than personal knowledge or observation
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the main subject of the legal battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi?
(a) The origins of butter chicken
(b) The color of the restaurant walls
(c) The price of the dishes
(d) The type of music played in the restaurants

2. According to the article, where was the small open-air diner located where butter chicken was created?
(a) Peshawar
(b) Daryaganj
(c) Mumbai
(d) Kolkata

3. Who was initially credited for the recipe and the success of butter chicken?
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru
(b) Mokha Singh
(c) Moti Mahal
(d) Kundan Lal Gujral

4. What is the key ingredient that gives butter chicken its name?
(a) Cheese
(b) Coconut milk
(c) Butter
(d) Olive oil

5. What is the main point made in the article about the disputes over the origins of dishes?
(a) They always lead to the closure of restaurants
(b) They result in a decrease in food quality
(c) They are always resolved amicably
(d) They often have little impact on customers

6. What is the legacy of dishes sometimes clouded in, according to the article?
(a) Mystery
(b) History
(c) Butter
(d) Tomatoes

7. What is likely to be the main focus of the court to settle the legal battle between Moti Mahal and Daryaganj?
(a) The color of the restaurant walls
(b) The number of customers served daily
(c) Circumstantial evidence and testimonies
(d) The price of the dishes

8. Despite the ongoing legal battle, what is expected to continue thriving according to the article?
(a) Both restaurants
(b) The dispute over ownership
(c) The fight for recognition
(d) The popularity of butter chicken

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Butter chicken was created in a large indoor restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi, out of extravagance using freshly made tikkas mixed in a tomato gravy with butter.
2. The lawsuit was filed in the Delhi High Court by unrelated parties claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant.
3. Kundan Lal Gujral was initially credited for the recipe and success of butter chicken.
4. The court will likely rely on concrete evidence and documents to settle the dispute over the true origins of butter chicken.
5. The legal battle over the origins of butter chicken is taking place between two cooperative restaurants in Delhi.
6. Regardless of the legal outcome, both Moti Mahal and Daryaganj are expected to continue thriving due to the enduring popularity of butter chicken.
7. The legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the rival Daryaganj chain revolves around ownership and credit for the invention of butter chicken.
8. Disputes over the origins of dishes are not uncommon in the culinary world but do not usually impact customers’ enjoyment of the food.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the legal battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi about?
2. Who is credited with the creation of butter chicken?
3. Why did disputes arise over ownership and credit for the dish?
4. How does the culinary world typically handle disputes over the ownership of dishes?
5. What factors will likely be considered in the court’s decision regarding the true origins of butter chicken?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The legal battle is about the origins of butter chicken, with one family accusing the other of falsely taking credit for inventing the dish.
2. Families claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant are involved in the legal battle.
3. Butter chicken was created by using leftover tikkas mixed in a tomato gravy with butter, out of frugality.
4. Kundan Lal Gujral was initially credited for the recipe and the restaurant’s success.
5. The legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the Daryaganj chain revolves around who had a greater role in the invention of butter chicken and other dishes.
6. The article mentions that the fight for recognition and ownership of dishes is not uncommon in the culinary world because multiple claims to the invention of dishes can cloud their history.
7. The court will likely rely on circumstantial evidence and testimonies to settle the dispute over the origins of butter chicken.
8. The popularity of butter chicken is described as transcending the ownership claims and remaining a favorite among diners.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) chicken
(2) India
(3) legal
(4) families
(5) frugality
(6) notable
(7) prime
(8) arose
(9) greater
(10) invention
(11) uncommon
(12) legacy
(13) disputes
(14) challenging
(15) circumstantial
(16) outcome
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. origins
Answer: (H) The point or place where something begins or is created

2. legal
Answer: (K) Pertaining to the law or the use of lawsuits to settle disagreements

3. lineage
Answer: (D) Descent from an ancestor or heritage

4. renowned
Answer: (M) Famous or well-known, typically for some admirable quality

5. frugality
Answer: (N) The quality of being economical with money or food

6. notable
Answer: (I) Worthy of attention or regard, often because of impressive or significant achievements

7. credited
Answer: (E) Acknowledged as being responsible for something or having played a role in achieving something

8. disputes
Answer: (C) Arguments or conflicts arising from differing opinions or claims

9. ownership
Answer: (G) The legal right or title to something, such as property or intellectual property

10. culinary
Answer: (F) Related to cooking or the kitchen

11. legacy
Answer: (B) Something handed down from an ancestor or the past, especially an intangible thing like a tradition or reputation

12. clouded
Answer: (J) Made unclear, obscure, or difficult to understand

13. circumstantial
Answer: (O) Evidence based on inference rather than personal knowledge or observation

14. testimonies
Answer: (L) Statements made by witnesses, usually in court

15. transcends
Answer: (A) To go beyond or rise above a limit or norm
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the main subject of the legal battle between two rival restaurants in Delhi?
Answer: (a) The origins of butter chicken

2. According to the article, where was the small open-air diner located where butter chicken was created?
Answer: (b) Daryaganj

3. Who was initially credited for the recipe and the success of butter chicken?
Answer: (d) Kundan Lal Gujral

4. What is the key ingredient that gives butter chicken its name?
Answer: (c) Butter

5. What is the main point made in the article about the disputes over the origins of dishes?
Answer: (d) They often have little impact on customers

6. What is the legacy of dishes sometimes clouded in, according to the article?
Answer: (b) History

7. What is likely to be the main focus of the court to settle the legal battle between Moti Mahal and Daryaganj?
Answer: (c) Circumstantial evidence and testimonies

8. Despite the ongoing legal battle, what is expected to continue thriving according to the article?
Answer: (a) Both restaurants
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Butter chicken was created in a large indoor restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi, out of extravagance using freshly made tikkas mixed in a tomato gravy with butter. (Answer: False)
2. The lawsuit was filed in the Delhi High Court by unrelated parties claiming lineage with the renowned Moti Mahal restaurant. (Answer: False)
3. Kundan Lal Gujral was initially credited for the recipe and success of butter chicken. (Answer: True)
4. The court will likely rely on concrete evidence and documents to settle the dispute over the true origins of butter chicken. (Answer: False)
5. The legal battle over the origins of butter chicken is taking place between two cooperative restaurants in Delhi. (Answer: False)
6. Regardless of the legal outcome, both Moti Mahal and Daryaganj are expected to continue thriving due to the enduring popularity of butter chicken. (Answer: True)
7. The legal battle between the Gujral family and the owners of the rival Daryaganj chain revolves around ownership and credit for the invention of butter chicken. (Answer: True)
8. Disputes over the origins of dishes are not uncommon in the culinary world but do not usually impact customers’ enjoyment of the food. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧