Kundan Lal Gujral facts for kids
[[File:
 |
|
| Born | circa 1902 Chakwal, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan) |
|---|---|
| Died | circa 1997 Delhi, India |
| Cooking style | Indian cuisine |
| Education | Matriculation |
| Spouse | Ram Prakash Devi |
|
Current restaurant(s)
|
|
|
Award(s) won
IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) - 1990 for Inventing Tandoori Chicken
|
|
Kundan Lal Gujral (born around 1902, died 1997) was a famous Indian chef and restaurant owner. He lived in New Delhi, India. He is well-known for creating some of the most popular Indian dishes enjoyed all over the world. These include Butter Chicken, Paneer Makhani, Tandoori Chicken, and Dal Makhani. He also started the famous Moti Mahal Delux restaurant chain.
Contents
Early Life
Kundan Lal Gujral was born around 1902. His family lived in Chakwal District, which was part of British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan). His father was a cloth merchant. Kundan Lal finished his schooling in Chakwal.
Around 1920, he started working at a small eatery called Moti Mahal. This restaurant was in Peshawar, British India. He later married Ram Prakash Devi. They had a son named Nand Lal Gujral.
In 1947, a big event called the partition of India happened. This meant India was divided into two countries. Kundan Lal and his family moved to Delhi, India. There, he opened his own eatery, also named Moti Mahal, in Daryaganj, Old Delhi.
Famous Food Inventions
Kundan Lal Gujral is famous for inventing several well-loved dishes. These include tandoori chicken, murgh makhani (butter chicken), and dal makhani.
How Tandoori Chicken Was Invented
When Kundan Lal worked as a chef in Peshawar, he loved to experiment. He tried something new with the tandoor. A tandoor is a special clay oven, usually used for baking breads.
He took pieces of chicken that were marinated in yogurt. Then, he put them on skewers and cooked them inside the hot tandoor. This experiment worked! It created the delicious dish we now call tandoori chicken. This dish is very popular in Indian restaurants worldwide.
The Story of Butter Chicken
Kundan Lal Gujral also invented murgh makhani, or butter chicken. Back then, there were no refrigerators. This meant that leftover tandoori chicken pieces (called tikkas) could go bad quickly.
To avoid wasting food, Gujral came up with an idea. He added a rich tomato gravy with butter to the leftover tandoori chicken. This made the chicken soft and tasty again. He could then sell it the next day. This clever idea led to the creation of butter chicken. Today, it is one of the most popular curries in Indian restaurants around the globe.
Discovering Dal Makhani
Kundan Lal Gujral also invented dal makhani. This is a mildly spiced lentil curry. It is made with a mix of tangy tomatoes, butter, and rich cream. This special combination of spices and dairy products makes dal makhani a very famous dish.
Legacy
After moving to Delhi, Kundan Lal Gujral opened a small roadside eatery called a dhaba. He wanted to introduce the people of Delhi to his amazing tandoori chicken. He bought a small place in Daryaganj and set up Moti Mahal.
His restaurant quickly became very popular. Within a year, Kundan Lal bought the area next door. He turned his small eatery into a large restaurant with 400 seats! Many important people visited Moti Mahal. These included former Indian Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Even Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev enjoyed his food.
In the 1970s, Kundan Lal's son, Nand Lal Gujral, helped expand the business. He started the Moti Mahal Delux chain of restaurants in South Delhi. Today, Kundan Lal Gujral's grandson, Monish Gujral, continues the family business. He has helped Moti Mahal Delux grow even more. It now has over 150 restaurants around India and the world. It started as a small eatery and is now a modern restaurant chain.
