Month: March 2018

Rev Chang’s Hope Café – A Café For The Special Ones!

Published by Kumti

With cafes and food joints sprouting out like flowers in spring, it is almost easy to pick one out and do a story but it is during these blossoming times when we come across one that has a different story to tell. Here’s the tale on Hope Café and their secret ingredient that makes them stand out from the rest! Hope Café – This place is more than what meets the eye. It is a café that caters to and by those that we often tend to neglect. The brainchild of Rev Achu Chang, an altruistic pastor for whom faith, kindness and hope are the special ingredients that one can put together to reach out to those in need and help the community develop and grow in strength. Tell us something about the Café Proprietor/Owner? Hope Café is owned by few young Naga entrepreneurs – all kinds of people, educated, dropouts and differently-abled. It is initiated by Rev Achu Chang as one of the branches under Eden Enterprises and Ministry. the main purpose of this café …

A Cakey Bakey Chat With Evao Ngullie – A Passionate Baker From Nagaland

Published by Asmita Das

Meet Evao Ngullie – a self-sufficient and self-taught woman who has turned her hobby into a successful business. With her passion for food and baking, she now delights people with her homemade cakes and desserts. Starting at the young age of 12, Evao has honed her skills and now brings joy to many through her delicious creations. Let’s hear from Evao herself about her journey. R&L: Hi Evao, please introduce yourself Evao: Hi, my name is Mhabeni Evao Ngullie. I grew up in Kohima but at present, I’m staying in Dimapur, Nagaland. After my Graduation in Commerce, I planned to take up a culinary course but I ended up being an accounts manager in Dimapur. Since then, I have been managing my work and my love for baking and cooking. I suppose like most people, I am compelled to balance my work and passion. So far, it’s working out well for me. R&L: We’d love to hear more about your wonderful baking journey. Could you share some details about it with us? Evao: This baking …

Design That You Create, Should Recognizably Be Yours – Sohail Khan

Published by Asmita Das

Sohail Nawaz Khan, known by the name Nautilus Shell, juggles between his education in architecture, art, music, creating design for brands, advertising and a lot more things. This multi-talented artist is passionate about his work and says, “Change is constant and good, adapt it.” A little background about Sohail 22 year old Sohail Nawaz Khan is an Artist, Illustrator, a Brand Designer, Musician, Artist Manager and an Architecture Student. Born and raised in Hyderabad and Chennai, he likes to draw on curtains, doors, cars, shoes, paper, tee-shirts, anything with a surface! He is a designdood endorsed artist. Tell us about your art. What got you interested in this? I have been sketching since I was 6 years old and I still have my first sketches preserved. My lifelong interest in the metaphysical and surreal nostalgia is a heavy influence on my art. When I was growing up, most of my friends spent time travelling or going to the movies, usually involved in outdoor activities to have fun. I remained indoors and practiced my art rigorously. I …

Masala Maggie Cooked with a Unique Naga Twist | Recipe by Kristi Kikon

Published by Kristi Kikon

Today we chat with a dreamer who believes that food is that one medium which can erase all the boundaries. Belonging to a diversified indigenous culture, Kristi Kikon (@kristi_kikon) tells us about her story and her recipe Maggie Masala which has a touch of the traditional Naga style of cooking. INGREDIENTS Masala Maggie Eggs Cooking oil Finely chopped onion Red chilli powder Shredded chicken meat or any pre-cooked meat. (Optional) Mustard leaves or any other seasonal leaves of your liking HOW TO COOK Step 1: Cook the Maggie in boiling water without breaking it into two pieces – without the masala mix for about 60 seconds. Drain off the water and keep the Maggie and the leftover water separately aside. Step 2: (Optional) While the leftover water is still warm, it’s time to crack open an egg and give it a gentle whirl. Make sure not to beat the eggs too hard or else your soup will have chunks of egg white instead. Step 3: In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions till it turns …

Te Amo, Nihon: A Spanish Artist’s Love Affair with Japan – A Chat with Elsa from Tokyo

Published by Asmita Das

“I have always loved Japan. It’s history, art and culture. Even before coming to see it for myself I knew I wanted to spend time in this country, especially in Tokyo!” – Elsa (@bunnytokyo) Japan is a country that defines art, culture and tradition in a way that perhaps, no other country can match up to! Not only is their history doused in fascinating tales but the discipline with which they carry on their traditions without appearing imperious is probably what makes non-Japanese people fall in love with the country; and that’s exactly what happened to Elsa – the artist who moved to Tokyo from Spain. She understood almost immediately that the diverse and idiosyncratic culture of Japan is what breeds creativity and art and that flow was perpetual Here’s a little information about Elsa Elsa is originally from Spain and she studied Broadcasting and Production in college. She now lives in Tokyo with her husband and it was both their dream, to move to the East after visiting the region for the first time …

A Visit to the Traditional House in Zhavame Village, Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

“We are sitting against the backdrop of a traditional house in Zhavame village under Phek district, adorned with wood carvings that signify the owner of the house has performed the ‘Feast of Merit‘ several times, the highest social status in the olden days. It’s a beautiful reminder of our rich cultural heritage. On colder days, it’s common for village folks to sit around the fire in the frontage of the house, share stories and discuss issues, reminding us that even in the midst of broken hopes and dreams, warmth and kindness can still be found.” ~ Rita Krocha Rita Krocha and friends sitting around a fire inside a traditional house in Zhavame village, Nagaland

Art Is Where His Passion Lies – Meet the Courageous Kekhrie Khamo

Published by Roots & Leisure

“In art, there is no need for color; I see only light and shade. Give me a crayon, and I will paint your portrait” ~ Francisco Goya Kekhrie Khamo from Kohima is an alliteration in itself to define the spectacular art that he creates through portraits and images he conjures on the canvas. Leaping from an academic-centric space into a world of artistic connection, was the courage he first drew. Now he draws images and hopes to inspire people from his art. Meet the 21-year-old who dares to draw. Share a little bit about who you are, where you’re from and what you’ve been up to? My name is Kekhrie Khamo and I am from Kohima, Nagaland. I am 21 years old and I am currently pursuing my Degree in Animation at Dr. Beltran’s School of Animation and Visual Wonder, Bangalore. My passion lies in art. Anything and everything related to art. It wasn’t easy pursuing my passion at an initial stage. I come from a small town and it is only natural that parents …

A Chat with the Founders of “Project Otenga” – A Café in Ahmedabad that Brings Together Slow Design and NorthEastern Roots

Published by Shiori Chan

Having a professional degree in designing may be one of the keys to conceptualize and define a structure but to be able to metamorphose it into a café of abstract comfort takes a little more than that. It takes persistence, determination and unsparing creativity to fill every corner with ingenious passion. For Kabyashree and Dayananda these elements came in together at the right time and with the right push to help them blossom their entrepreneurial journey that beautifully combines their passion, their design background and their roots Here’s a chat with the founders of Project Otenga, Ahmedabad – Kabyashree Borgohain from Assam (extreme left) and Dayananda from Manipur (extreme right) . They talk about how the project evolved from a house café in Gandhinagar to a full-fledged space in the University campus in Ahmedabad. Here’s a little background on the founders A native of Assam, Kabyashree Borgohain is a design strategist, a gastronomical food researcher and chef, and an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar . She also has a degree in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories from and the …

A Recipe of Tekeli Pitha from the Kitchen of Assam

Published by Roots & Leisure

Tekeli or keteli pitha are rice cakes from Assam. They are called so because they are made by steaming them in a kettle (tekeli) lid. Traditionally a winter food (but great to have all year round), this is my favorite comfort food of all times, something I’ve been requesting for breakfast and evening snack since childhood. Today’s recipe is submitted by Pari Hazarika. A dreamer with a head full of recipes, and a grubby feet prickling to take off to the next promising place to explore. Cooking time: 10-12 minutes Servings: 4-5 pitha on a medium sized kettle lid Ingredients: 1 cup short grained rice 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup date palm jaggery (khejur gur) 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional) You will also need a kettle and two pieces of muslin, cheesecloth or other fine cloth suitable for culinary purposes. Directions to Cook: Soak the rice for 2-4 hours, then spread it out on a newspaper. When the excess water has dried off, grind it as finely as possible Fill half of …

A Chat with Pelenuo Yhome – The Architect from Nagaland with a Musical Soul

Published by Roots & Leisure

“Will you go with me to the ends of the earth.Where we will build a story, a story that will last” ~ An excerpt from Pelenuo’s song You feel a certain kind of ease and calm when listening to Pelenuo’s song ‘Build A Story’, her first single. We catch up with this architect from Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore to talk about her foray into music and how she got started. Hi Pelenuo, say something about yourself 🙂 My name is Pelenuo, and I am from Nagaland. I am an architect graduate from Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore. So I am home now in Nagaland working as an architect/interior designer in Dimapur. Besides my work, I also love food, sneakers ( I like walking and sneakers are the best shoes ever!) and of course music! I’m a fan of singer, Taya Smith and my favourite genre is country music. Those that follow the north-east music scene on Instagram, would most probably have heard of Jonathan Yhome. He’s my younger brother and he plays …