Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji - "Heartland Masala" - Zubair Mohajir
Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji will discuss their debut cookbook Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook from an American Kitchen. They will be joined in conversation by Zubair Mohajir. A Q&A and book signing will follow the conversation and reading.
At 57th Street Books
Following the event at 57th Street Books, join Jyoti and Auyon for a celebratory dinner honoring the release of Heartland Masala. Meet the authors and expect a vegetarian meal of delicious snacky things, a hearty main course, and dessert from chef Dinah Grossman. A menu inspired by the recipes of Heartland Masala, with a Spinning J twist. Find details 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.
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.
"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
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.
About the interlocutor: Zubair Mohajir was born in Chennai and grew up in Doha, Qatar, before moving with his family as a 12 yr old to the south west suburbs of Chicago in 1997. As it is with many South Asian upbringings, cooking was not the first stop for Zubair, after 7 years in finance, following the market crash of 2008, Zubair Mohajir decided to enter the industry as a prep cook for The Pump Room by Jean George. Upon working his way up to Sous Chef, he decided to take a Chef De Partie position with The Bouchon team for TKRG in Yountville, CA. Eventually in 2018, Zubair landed an apprenticeship with Gaggan in Bangkok, renowned for their progressive take on Indian cuisine from the lens of molecular gastronomy. Since that time, Chef Zubair has garnered national attention via his award nominations from James Beard and Jean Banchet, as well as multiple features in publications like Chicago Magazine, Plate Magazine, Eater, and more. Currently, Chef Zubair oversees the culinary program and is an Owner of Lilac Tiger, Mirra, Coach House, and Wazwan in Chicago.
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