Once Haji Alimuddin,the late owner of legendary Karim hotel of Delhi, in a very candid admission said ' It was Kundan Lal Gujral who had introduced Mughali cuisines like butter chicken, dal makhni,sikandari raan and chicken biryani to Dilliwallas after he came here post partition of the country. It was a big tribute to Gujral from somebody whose brand was equally famous.

Long after his demise,Gujral was again in news recently when noted food critic,writer and journalist Vir Sanghvi recalled his yeoman contribution in introducing mouth-watering non-vegetarian dishes in this part of the country. Kundan Lal Gujral, a larger-than-life figure whom people still remember for his immaculate Pathani suits, handlebar mustache and his proximity to Indira Gandhi. His wife would begin each day grinding the masalas, a closely guarded secret, that went into the signature dishes.

Eventually, Moti Mahal on the main road of Darya ganj became the bastion for Delhi's rich and famous. Nehru-Gandhi family started patronising it, along with global leaders and celebrities, from Marshal Bulganin to Jacqueline Kennedy. You can still meet many old timers in capital who can have many fasicinating stories to tell you about the food,qawwalies and the personality of Gujral.

According to Mohnish, grand son of Gujral, his grandfather would share with him secrets of the trade, like the art of portion control. A kilo of tomatoes, Gujral will tell you, yields 250 g of puree, which, in turn, is good for three dishes; a kilo of lentils, likewise, yields 12-13 plates of dal makhani. He can rattle off such statistics without checking with his laptop. He says that his college years spent at Moti Mahal not only helped him buy his first car and finance a round-the-world air ticket, but also gave him a ringside view of the business. Mohnish also wrote a book of recipes of Moti Mahal dishes.

Gujral started working in a Peshawar dhaba from age 10 and invented butter chicken essentially to recycle unsold tandoori chicken - as an opportunity to renew people's interest in the restaurant and develop a sense of nostalgia about its food in a fad-driven market.

While the Moti Mahal of Darya Ganj is not in the control of Gujral family, they run many hotels in other parts of the capital. Both old timers and lovers of true mughal food still visit there to enjoy great atmosphere and taste of various cuisines. Said Mohnish, " I really feel very emotional when people visting our restaurents tell me that they first came with there grand father and now coming with their grand kids."