Cookbook Event! Jyoti Mukharji & Auyon Mukharji's "Heartland Masala"

Join us for a discussion of Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji's Heartland Masala at Symposium Books!

Tickets come in two forms: 1) general RSVP without the book included, or 2) an RSVP with a copy of Heartland Masala included.

After the event: Be sure to include a trip to Oberlin to complete your dining experience. Oberlin is working with Jyoti and Auyon to bring you a three course meal unlike anything they've cooked up before. You can purchase tickets to the event HERE.

About the book:

Heartland Masala pairs 99 recipes from Indian cooking instructor Jyoti Mukharji with cultural and historical essays by her son Auyon Mukharji. An effervescent celebration of Indian cuisine and the American immigrant experience, this beautiful cookbook is playful, informative, and utterly original.

"Heartland Masala is a joyful, inspiring cookbook that shows off the dazzling culinary inventiveness of an appealing mother-son cooking duo."—Foreword Reviews, Starred Review

Filled with rich storytelling, stunning visuals, and a blend of modern and traditional dishes, this book is both a heartfelt portrait of one Midwestern family and a practical guide to cooking incredible Indian meals at home.

Here’s what makes Heartland Masala special:

• Delicious, Accessible Recipes — 99 carefully tested dishes bring Indian flavors into your kitchen, with ingredients and methods tailored for American home cooks.

• Cultural Essays & Family Stories — Fresh, insightful, and often humorous essays explore the immigrant cooking philosophy, the Mukharjis’ mother-son dynamic, and the many quirks of Indian culinary history.

• Illustrations & Stunning Photography — A 32-page full-color photo insert plus original art make this a gorgeous centerpiece for your kitchen or coffee table.

• Step-by-Step Guidance — Jyoti and Auyon include illustrations that demystify complex techniques, along with spice shopping tips to build confidence and skill.]

A feast for culturally curious readers and adventurous cooks alike, Heartland Masala is unlike any Indian cookbook you’ve seen before.

About the authors:

Jyoti Mukharji is a chef, teacher, and retired physician. She immigrated to the US from India in the late 1970s, and she began teaching weekly Indian cooking classes out of her home in Prairie Village, KS in 2010. Jyoti has since welcomed several thousand students into her kitchen, and her writing and teaching have been celebrated in press and radio outlets across the Midwest. Jyoti's team includes her husband Jhulan (art director), her eldest son Arnob (grocery shopping deputy), her middle son Auyon (musical guest), and her youngest son Aroop (copy editor).

Auyon Mukharji is a musician, writer, and culinary historian who spends most of his time thinking about food. He studied biology at Williams College and was awarded a Watson Fellowship in 2007 to study self-expression in folk music. Since 2009, Auyon has toured with, and cooked for, the acclaimed indie-folk band Darlingside. He otherwise finds time to work in and around kitchens (and farms) in both his hometown of Kansas City and his adopted state-of-residence of Massachusetts.

Host or Publisher Symposium Books Staff