Two Indian restaurants in Delhi are fighting in court about who really made butter chicken first. The fight is between two families who both say they started the famous Moti Mahal restaurant in 1947. One family says the other is wrongly saying they made up butter chicken and another dish called dal makhani. They are very upset and have taken the matter to court.

The story of how butter chicken was made is quite interesting. A man and his three workers left their home during a tough time in India and opened a new restaurant in Delhi. They made butter chicken by mixing leftover chicken with tomato sauce and butter. This new dish became very popular. But now, there’s a disagreement about who really made it first.

Even though the two restaurants are arguing about who made butter chicken, some food experts think it’s not important who made it first. They believe the most important thing is how good the butter chicken tastes, not who gets the credit for making it. The court case is still going on, and it shows how hard it can be to figure out who first made a famous food dish that many people around the world enjoy eating.

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. Write different food dishes, including butter chicken, on small pieces of paper and put them in a bowl. One student from each team takes turns picking a piece of paper and acting out the dish without speaking. The team members have to guess the dish within a certain time limit. The team that guesses the most dishes correctly wins.

– News Summary

Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the article in their own words. They have to include the main points and any important details. After each summary, the other student gives feedback on accuracy and clarity. Then, they switch roles and repeat the activity.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions: Write key vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into small groups. One student from each group picks a word and has to draw it on the board while the other group members try to guess the word. The student cannot use any letters or numbers in their drawing. The group that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Speed Summarizing

Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 3 minutes. One student has to summarize as much of the article as they can within the time limit, while the other student listens and takes notes. After the time is up, they switch roles and repeat the activity. Then, the pairs compare their summaries and discuss any differences or missing information.

– Think-Pair-Share

Instructions: In pairs, students take turns discussing their opinions on the court case between the two Indian restaurants. They can discuss whether they think it’s important who made butter chicken first, or if they agree with the food experts that taste is the most important thing. After discussing, they share their opinions with the whole class and have a group discussion.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What are the two Indian restaurants in Delhi fighting about in court?
2. How did the man and his three workers make butter chicken?
3. Why did the new dish become very popular?
4. What do some food experts think is more important than who made butter chicken first?
5. What is the court case about?
6. Why is it difficult to figure out who first made a famous food dish?
7. What is the name of the other dish that the families are arguing about?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Two Indian restaurants in Delhi are fighting in court about who really made butter chicken first. The fight is between two (1)______ who both say they started the famous Moti Mahal restaurant in 1947. One family (2)______ the (3)______ is wrongly saying they made up butter chicken and another dish called dal makhani. They are very upset and have taken the matter to court.

The story of how butter chicken was (4)______ is quite (5)______. A man and his three workers left their home during a tough time in (6)______ and opened a new restaurant in Delhi. They made butter chicken by mixing leftover (7)______ with (8)______ sauce and butter. This new dish became very popular. But now, there’s a (9)______ about who really made it first.

Even though the two restaurants are arguing about who made butter chicken, some food experts think it’s not important who made it first. They believe the most important thing is how good the butter chicken (10)______, not who gets the credit for (11)______ it. The court case is still going on, and it shows how hard it can be to figure out who first made a famous food dish that (12)______ people around the world enjoy eating.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is butter chicken and dal makhani?
2. How would you feel if someone said they made a dish that you actually made?
3. Do you think it’s important to know who made a dish first? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever tried butter chicken? Did you like it? Why or why not?
5. What do you think is more important: who made a dish or how it tastes? Why?
6. How do you think the court will decide who made butter chicken first?
7. Do you think it’s fair for the two families to fight in court over who made butter chicken first? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever had a disagreement with someone about something? How did you solve it?
9. What is your favorite dish? Why do you like it?
10. Do you think it’s easy or hard to figure out who first made a famous food dish? Why?
11. How do you think the court case will end? Why do you think that?
12. If you had to choose between eating butter chicken or dal makhani, which one would you choose? Why?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. restaurants
2. court
3. families
4. famous
5. upset
6. interesting
7. workers
8. disagreement
9. experts
10. important
11. credit
12. enjoy

Meanings:
(A) Where people go to solve disagreements with the help of a judge
(B) Feeling sad or angry because something bad happened
(C) Something that is very meaningful or necessary
(D) When people do not agree on something
(E) People who do jobs for others, often helping to make or fix things
(F) Places where you can eat meals that are cooked for you
(G) Something that catches your attention because it is exciting or unusual
(H) Well-known by many people
(I) Praise or recognition for doing something or making something
(J) Groups of people related to each other, often parents and their children
(K) People who know a lot about a certain subject
(L) To have a good time or take pleasure in something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. When did the fight between the two Indian restaurants start?
(a) In 2000
(b) In 1947
(c) In 1990
(d) In 2010

2. How did the man and his workers make butter chicken?
(a) Boiling the chicken in water
(b) Frying the chicken in oil
(c) Baking the chicken in the oven
(d) Mixing leftover chicken with tomato sauce and butter

3. What is the name of the famous restaurant where the fight is happening?
(a) Taj Mahal
(b) Golden Temple
(c) Moti Mahal
(d) Red Fort

4. What is the other dish mentioned in the court case?
(a) Dal makhani
(b) Sushi
(c) Pizza
(d) Tacos

5. What do some food experts believe is the most important thing about butter chicken?
(a) Who made it first
(b) How expensive it is
(c) How good it tastes
(d) How many calories it has

6. Where did the man and his workers open their new restaurant?
(a) Delhi
(b) Mumbai
(c) Kolkata
(d) Chennai

7. What do the two families disagree about?
(a) Who made biryani first
(b) Who made pizza first
(c) Who made sushi first
(d) Who made butter chicken first

8. What do the two families do because they are upset with each other?
(a) Open a new restaurant
(b) Take the matter to court
(c) Become best friends
(d) Forget about it and move on

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The dish butter chicken became popular after being created during a tough time in India.
2. Food experts believe the appearance of butter chicken matters more than who made it first.
3. Two Indian families in Delhi are fighting in court over who really created butter chicken first.
4. The disagreement started because both families claim they started the famous Moti Mahal restaurant in 1947.
5. The court case is ongoing and undermines the challenge of determining the true origin of a popular food.
6. One family accuses the other of falsely claiming they invented butter chicken and dal makhani.
7. The agreement between the two restaurants shows how agreements over food history can be difficult to resolve.
8. The man who is rumored to have created butter chicken mixed fresh chicken with tomato sauce and butter.
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 are the two Indian restaurants in Delhi fighting about in court?
2. How did the man and his three workers make butter chicken?
3. Why do some food experts think it’s not important who made butter chicken first?
4. What does the court case show about figuring out who made a famous food dish?
5. Why do you think it’s important to focus on how good the butter chicken tastes rather than who made it first?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are the two Indian restaurants in Delhi fighting about in court?
The two restaurants are fighting about who really made butter chicken first.

2. How did the man and his three workers make butter chicken?
They made butter chicken by mixing leftover chicken with tomato sauce and butter.

3. Why did the new dish become very popular?
The new dish became popular because it tasted very good.

4. What do some food experts think is more important than who made butter chicken first?
Some food experts think that how good the butter chicken tastes is more important than who made it first.

5. What is the court case about?
The court case is about the two families arguing about who really made butter chicken and another dish called dal makhani first.

6. Why is it difficult to figure out who first made a famous food dish?
It is difficult to figure out who first made a famous food dish because there may not be clear evidence or records to prove who made it first.

7. What is the name of the other dish that the families are arguing about?
The families are arguing about the dish called dal makhani.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) families
(2) says
(3) other
(4) made
(5) interesting
(6) India
(7) chicken
(8) tomato
(9) disagreement
(10) tastes
(11) making
(12) many
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. restaurants
Answer: (F) Places where you can eat meals that are cooked for you

2. court
Answer: (A) Where people go to solve disagreements with the help of a judge

3. families
Answer: (J) Groups of people related to each other, often parents and their children

4. famous
Answer: (H) Well-known by many people

5. upset
Answer: (B) Feeling sad or angry because something bad happened

6. interesting
Answer: (G) Something that catches your attention because it is exciting or unusual

7. workers
Answer: (E) People who do jobs for others, often helping to make or fix things

8. disagreement
Answer: (D) When people do not agree on something

9. experts
Answer: (K) People who know a lot about a certain subject

10. important
Answer: (C) Something that is very meaningful or necessary

11. credit
Answer: (I) Praise or recognition for doing something or making something

12. enjoy
Answer: (L) To have a good time or take pleasure in something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. When did the fight between the two Indian restaurants start?
Answer: (b) In 1947

2. How did the man and his workers make butter chicken?
Answer: (d) Mixing leftover chicken with tomato sauce and butter

3. What is the name of the famous restaurant where the fight is happening?
Answer: (c) Moti Mahal

4. What is the other dish mentioned in the court case?
Answer: (a) Dal makhani

5. What do some food experts believe is the most important thing about butter chicken?
Answer: (c) How good it tastes

6. Where did the man and his workers open their new restaurant?
Answer: (a) Delhi

7. What do the two families disagree about?
Answer: (d) Who made butter chicken first

8. What do the two families do because they are upset with each other?
Answer: (b) Take the matter to court
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The dish butter chicken became popular after being created during a tough time in India. (Answer: True)
2. Food experts believe the appearance of butter chicken matters more than who made it first. (Answer: False)
3. Two Indian families in Delhi are fighting in court over who really created butter chicken first. (Answer: True)
4. The disagreement started because both families claim they started the famous Moti Mahal restaurant in 1947. (Answer: True)
5. The court case is ongoing and undermines the challenge of determining the true origin of a popular food. (Answer: False)
6. One family accuses the other of falsely claiming they invented butter chicken and dal makhani. (Answer: True)
7. The agreement between the two restaurants shows how agreements over food history can be difficult to resolve. (Answer: False)
8. The man who is rumored to have created butter chicken mixed fresh chicken with tomato sauce and butter. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧