Month: October 2017

RootsandLeisure_Recipe_PorkColocasia

Recipe | Smoked Pork with Colocasia Roots (Arbi)

We all crave for home cooked food at some point or the other, doesn’t matter whichever part of the world we live in. And specially if it’s locally grown vegetables and ingredients, it feels like heaven. So here is another local recipe cooked using some local veggies – Colocasia root (locally called as Arbi) with Smoked Pork and garden herbs. Colocasia or Arbi is basically an edible root vegetable native to Southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. They are locally grown around the northeast and cooked with different meats to create traditional delicacies. Prep : 15 mins Cook: 35 mins Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 kg of colocasia roots/arbi, peeled and chopped 350 grams of smoked pork, thinly sliced (can be replaced with smoked beef) A handful of crested late summer mint (can be replaced with hooker chives roots or lemon basil) 1 inch of ginger knob crushed 1 inch of fresh turmeric crushed (in case you’re using turmeric powder use 1/2 teaspoon) Ghost pepper(preferably dried) as required Salt to taste Directions to cook :  In …

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Catching Up With Megosano Sakhrie – A Hand Lettering Artist from Nagaland

Hand lettering and calligraphy has taken up quite some space now in the world of Instagram. We come across various artists every now and then, from painting to sketching, illustrating and much much more. But ever came across a hand lettering artist? This got us really excited and curious to know as to what actually it is and we caught up with a hand letterer from Nagaland itself. Megosano Sakhrie, living the m.for.apples life on Instagram is a full time dreamer and part time letterer based out of Nagaland. So Megosano, how did it all start? Instagram is how my lettering journey started and that is where I get my daily dose of inspiration. Feeding myself with visuals of the work of all sorts of artists motivates me to learn and grow each time. Even if it is just some person’s picture or story or quotes, if it strikes me, I try and interpret them through my letters. And of course, my state of mind at that point in time also dictates the pieces I …

Lusano Zakiesato from Nagaland is the Fashion Designer of your Dreams

Lusano of ‘Lusano Designs’ has come a long way since she started her label in 2014. Her first international show, a bridal show, was held in Abu Dhabi in  2016. She was also selected to showcase her designs for IRW India Runway Week season 3 under the IFFD ( Indian Federation of Fashion Design Council). Today we have chat with her to know more about how it all started. R&L: Hi Lusano, please introduce yourself to our readers. Lusano: Born and brought in Nagaland, I completed my schooling in Delhi and then went on to finish my fashion designing course from INIFD (International Institute of Fashion Design), Delhi. After that, I signed up for an additional month of pattern-making course as I am fascinated with how the details of patterns can change the whole garment. R&L: What are the key inspirations behind your designs? Lusano: I started working on my brand collection (well actually just ‘my collection’ since I didn’t plan on a ‘Brand’ yet ) in my final year at INFID. At that time, …

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Are You Headed to Bacardi NH7 Weekender 2017 Shillong ?

Folks! It’s time for another music festival in this beautiful part of the country – in the North East of India. Brace yourself for BACARDI NH7 Weekender 2017 – the Shillong edition, to be held on the 27th and 28th Oct. Looks like many of us are headed to “Wenfield, The Festive Hills” – Thadlaskein, Lad Mukhla, in Jaintia Hills – the venue for the happiest music festival! What are our folks saying about the festival? In order to give you guys a good enough view of the festival – in terms of what to expect, we reached out to a bunch of festival goers, to share their experiences, and how they are planning for this year’s event. Soyingo Ezung, 27, Entrepreneur | Owner, House of Candy “One of the coolest events to take place in India hands down. Very well organized and very safe event – but nonetheless, be safe and don’t forget to enjoy! Keep a lookout for the local musicians – you will be amazed at all the talent India has – in every …

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Recipe | Diwali Special – Chocolate Barfis

With the return of Diwali, it brings back the festivities, celebrations, gatherings with family and friends, exchanging gifts, fancy clothes and of course, food! Diwali is just incomplete without tasty sweets and savories on the table. Don’t we all agree? So, without further ado, sharing a sweet dish recipe today on how to make chocolate barfis! They are simply delectable and we bet that your family and friends will totally dig it! Let’s get started. Ingredients : 1 can of condensed milk 300 grams of milk powder 100 grams of ground almonds 200 grams (half a tin) of evaporated milk/double cream 3 tablespoons of ghee (melted) A pinch of saffron 1/2 tsp of ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 300 grams of milk chocolate Choice of sprinkles Directions to prepare : Grease or line the baking sheet or plate you will use to make the barfi in, bare in mind the smaller the dish the deeper your barfi will be. (I used a square brownie pan lined with baking parchment) Mix together all the …

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Making My Own Musical Instruments From Bamboo | Rizal Abdulhadi – Folk Music Artist from Indonesia

“Music is the universal language of mankind.”― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Rizal Abdulhadi from Indonesia believes this to be true. He is a full-time musician, instrument builder, multi-instrumentalist, social activist, video producer & editor and the founder of the ‘ThatBamboo’ company – a music label that uses bamboo to create hand-crafted musical instruments. The most interesting fact about Rizal is that he makes his own instruments out of bamboo. His most recent handcrafted instrument called ‘Rasendriya’ is a combination of guitar with didgeridoo and celempung (percussion).He recently came to India for the Ziro Music Festival, and we had a chat with him to know more him, his music and his craft. Rizal Abdulhadi was here in India for the Ziro Festival of Music and R&L team caught up with him to know more about him, his music & his unique musical instruments – and his experience with the people, the place and the festival at Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh Hi Rizal! Tell us briefly about yourself. Hi! I am Rizal Abdulhadi from the band – Rizal & The …

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Spotting Fashion at the Ziro Festival of Music 2017

The  Ziro Festival of Music that happens every year in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most popular music festivals in India. It’s mainly known for three things : Music, The Location (the scenic beauty of Ziro guys!) and the Fashion. It’s a beautiful coming together of musical talents from across the country and beyond – and lovers of Music, Nature, Travel and of course Fashion! Can we call it the Coachella of India already? Here’s a snapshot of the sartorial sightings from the festival that was held from 28th Sept to 1st Oct 2017. Yanam from Arunachal wore a self-made floral dress over a black knitted top – completing the look with black sneakers. “I have been attending the Ziro Festival of Music for 4 consecutive years now. This year, I decided to spend some time exploring the vicinity areas – including the paddy fields and bamboo groves, before making my way to the festival site. I chose to wear a self-made floral dress with a knitted top to keep me warm and sneakers to make sure …

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Travel | Cluster of Age-Old Monoliths Amidst the Hills of Meghalaya

What exactly is a monolith ? Why are they there in the first place? With these questions in mind I wandered off to look for answers and got my reading glasses ready to do some research. The word monolith comes from the Greek word “monolithos”, derived from mono (“one” or “single”) and lithos (“stone”). I begin my exploration in the hub of all monoliths in Meghalaya, Nartiang village in the Jaintia Hills district. It is the place to start if you are looking for a rocky site full of traditional memories and hidden stories. They call it the “Monolith garden”. These monoliths are said to be a testimony of a sovereign strength. They are a symbol of tradition in the Jaintia Hills among the “pnar” tribes. It is said that these monoliths were erected to mark the reigns of the erstwhile Jaintia king. There are folktales to explain the existence of these ancient monuments. Looking for these stories was the highlight of my mini research. I always wondered on how the monoliths came to be in such …

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Faces | Ziro Music Festival 2017 in Arunachal Pradesh

“Hard to imagine a better scene for a concert, than amidst the lush paddy fields – in the beautiful town of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh. While Ziro is famous for its amazing landscape and paddy fields, it is also known for the beautiful coming together of music and nature. Ziro is definitely a treat for a photographer’s lens and a paradise for a dreamer’s mind.” ~@the_lost_travellers

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Recipe | Beef Hide with Axone

Smoked beef hide (skin) is another ingredient that is relished n Nagaland. Today, our recipe contributor Kesang will guide us on how to make a spicy treat using beef hide and axone. Kesang believes that the spicier, the better (think FOUR King chili hot!) for an unforgettable taste experience! Your taste buds are in for a treat! Make sure you try this recipe and let us know how much you liked it!  Beef with Axone and King Chilli Ingredients : 250 grams of Buffalo/ Beef Skin 4 pieces of King Chilli Cooking Oil Salt to taste 200 grams of Axone (fermented Soya Bean) 12 Garlic Cloves Directions to cook : First, clean the buffalo skin thoroughly and pressurize in the cooker for about 3-4 whistles. After pressurizing it, cut it into small pieces. Next, grind the garlic and king chilies together to make it into a semi-paste. Then, heat 5 tbsp of refined oil in a skillet/pan. Add in garlic and chili paste with salt and fry it for 2 minutes till the raw smell fades …