Month: June 2018

Rootsandleisure_ café

Meet Gilbert Lotha Owner Of “Café Serrano” Nagaland ,Who Dares To Do More Than Just Dream Away

Published by Ovung Jungio

On one of his trips to Wokha, Nagaland , our R&L member Jungio made a visit to one of the earliest café around the vicinity -Café Serrano . He describes the cafe as an excellent backdrop for a Hollywood-esque dining setting with the orange tint of the dusk dancing off the porcelain plates and the stainless cutleries. R & L contributor sat down with Gilbert Lotha, chef and proprietor of the cafe talking about his journey , challenges , kitchen misadventures and more. What led you to become a chef and how was the journey? While doing my Advance Course in Continental Cuisine from Indus Institute of Culinary Arts & Hotel Management, Bangalore I was surprised to witness the level of insane dedication and undiluted passion for the culinary arts shown by the visiting foreign staffs which both challenged and nudged me into emulating the same level of professionalism and love for the culinary art. The journey from a student of the art to a business owner has been a long winding road for me personally- from …

Rootsandleisure_Divya-Nair

Marketing Strategist by Day and Baker By Night | Meet Divya Nair from Delhi

Published by Vilina

It’s hard to say no to desserts – even after a heavy meal. Divya Nair from Delhi agrees that it can’t be any truer – except in her case, she cannot resist baking desserts, even after a long day of the usual 9-to-5 grind. This 24-year old graduate from SRCC, Delhi University and a post graduate from IIMC, Delhi is serving some serious inspirations with her post-work baking stories, and her heavenly bakes! R&L had a quick chat with Divya to know more about this self- taught baker and her food blogging journey, how she manages a 9 to 5 job and her passion for baking and more. Hi Divya, please introduce yourself. I am Divya Nair, a 24-year-old girl, born and brought up in Delhi but a native of Kerala. I have always been a proud Delhite. I did my B Com (H) from SRCC, M Com from DU, and then PGD Advertising and PR from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi (IIMC). Apart from being a nerd, I love to bake, draw, dance and click …

RootsandLeisure_Vikhietuonuo-Rutsa1

Meet Vikhietuonuo Rutsa – Soulful Pianist and Music Teacher from Nagaland

Published by Tiarenla

“Music is the key to your soul” As cliché as it may sound, it is always going to be true! Music can trigger feelings and memories, and most importantly, can connect you to the self, the creator or even a stranger thousands of miles away from you. Today we have a sweet soul, who is a pianist, music teacher and youth leader. Vikhietuonuo Rutsa from Nagaland radiates peace and calm, and that you can feel very strongly in her music. We had a quick chat with the musical genius Vikhietuonuo Rutsa, to talk about what keeps her focused and optimistic, taking risks, and how to prepare for stage performances, as a beginner. Tell us something about yourself, and when did you start playing? Hi , my name is Vikhietuonuo Rutsa but my friends call me Vikhie or Vi. I’m 26 years old from Kohima – a Sociologist, a Musician, Youth Chairman and a Worship Leader at Baptist Mission Church, Kohima. “I started my first piano lesson when I was 10 from Miss Mhalevonuo Zhale. Later on only …

Rootsandleisure_Onen

Turning The Mundane Into Something Insane and Outrageous | Meet Self-Taught Digital Artist Onen

Published by Ovung Jungio

Today’s artist is a digital artist-cum-engineer who goes by the name of “Mr.Brightside” whose weird, twisted yet profound sketches is a reflective exploration of the human state – physical and mental. His art stands out from the multitude of other artists due to its accented uniqueness and inventiveness which enthralls and unnerves all at the same time. Onen’s works are multi-faceted and open ended to the point of debate. It embodies a sense of existential vagueness that instinctively entices the feral remnants of our collective primate heritage. Our contributor Jungio chats with the self- taught digital artist about his transition from drawing cartoon characters as a kid – to diving into the dark and surreal inspired by Japanese art and culture, current art scene in Nagaland and more. Tell me a little about yourself? My name is Bendangonen Atsongchanger but I go by the name of Mr. Brightside :D.  I am 25 years of age from Mokokchung, Nagaland and currently pursuing my Bachelor’s in Computer engineering from Pune. How would you describe your art? What or …

Rootsandleisure_pork2

Recipe | Fresh Pork with Bamboo Shoot and Szechuan Leaves

Published by Lidang

“Pork with bamboo shoot” is almost synonymous with Naga pork dish – as bamboo shoot is the most favored spice to cook meat dishes in Nagaland. Another spice that compliments this particular dish is the szechuan pepper (the Aos call it “mong mong”), which is usually roasted and sprinkled on top as a finishing add on for a zingy taste. Today Lidang cooks her famous pork-bambooshoot dish with szechuan leaves (Michinga pata in Nagamese). Here she uses the leaves as one of the main ingredients, along with the pork. This way, the dish is green and healthy while also maintaining that zingy flavor of the szechuan. Here’s the full recipe – which is super simple, and is done in four simple steps! Ingredients (Clockwise from Left) : Bamboo shoot, Dry red chilies, salt and szechuan leaves Cooking time: 40minutes-1 hour Ingredients : 500 grams of fresh pork, cleaned and chopped. Some dried chilies as per taste A handful of szechuan leaves leaves A handful of fresh bamboo shoot 500 ml of water Salt to taste  Directions to cook : …

Rootsandleisure_Nagaland artist

“My Top 7 Tunes From The Hills Of Nagaland” by Jungio

Published by Ovung Jungio

Our contributor and music aficionado Jungio has shared another list of his top seven songs from Naga artists. He also adds a personal commentary about each of the tunes, and why he thinks we should give them a listen. Over to Jungio! “Despite the paltry infrastructures and less-than-ideal circumstances, musical talents from the region have been able to put Nagaland on the map for something worth writing about and beyond. So without much further ado, let’s shine a spotlight on these stars and their tunes that deserves your attention and your listening ears.” ~ Jungio Here’s the Top 7 tunes curated from the hills of Nagaland. “See” by Tuden Jamir  There are songs with piercing lyrics, there are songs with evocative melodies and then there is this song from the songwriter extraordinaire, Tuden, who effortlessly brings together both these elements in this outstanding track – with the finesse and showmanship of a musical alchemist. “This song is the de-facto anthem of any twenty-something-someone swimming against the tempestuous tides of conventionalism and conformity, a love letter to the …

RootsandLeisure_Nemngai Mosang

This Self-Taught Dancer from Arunachal is Melting Our Hearts with Her Dance Moves | Meet Nemngai Mosang

Published by Kumti

Meet 22-year-old Nemngai Mosang from Arunachal, who is a passionate dancer, plays the guitar and enjoys listening to K-pop. Don’t brush her off as just another dancer on Instagram – yet. The fact that is self-taught, working hard on her dreams – every day, manages to inspire us with her dance moves and fun-loving attitude, and brings together multiple cultures – the Northeastern and Korean cultures through her love for Korean music and dance moves is admirable. Also, she is a talent powerhouse (she plays the guitar too!) with tons of positivity! So let’s get to know her a little bit more 🙂 This 22-year-old enthusiastic powerhouse of talent chats with R&L to talk about her dancing journey, her creative mantra and more. Hi, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself? I am Nemngai Mosang, 22-year-old self-taught dancer from Arunachal Pradesh. For me, dancing is everything; I just can’t express how much I love dancing! Dancing allows me to be completely myself and makes me happy. Apart from dancing, I also like to play the …

RootsandLeisure_Pari

Inspirational Baker from Assam, Pari Hazarika Shares Her Experience of Picking Stinging Nettles from the Himalayan Foothills.

Published by Vilina

A foodie with a passion for baking desserts and experimenting with local dishes, Pari Hazarika from Assam has been cooking and baking since her childhood days, “I have always loved cooking as a kid, but it was only after I moved to Pune, that I recognized this passion of mine as a calling. I was going through trying times and I found solace in cooking for myself and my friends 🙂 I’ve always been very interested in learning about local ingredients and culinary techniques, but it took a while and some travelling before I could manifest my curiosity in that area.” As an inspirational figure for all those who follow her food journey, Pari also enjoys traveling and exploring the beauty of nature – which in turn fuels her food experiments. Here she shares an adventure of picking “stinging nettle leaves” (a medicinal plant often taken to detox, improve metabolism and immunity etc.) on a recent trip with her friends to Jibhi, a village in the Banjar Valley of Kullu in Himachal. “During my recent visit to Jibhi, a village in …

RootsandLeisure_World Cup 2018_11

Football Fans in Nagaland Gears Up For World Cup 2018

Published by Kumti

Northeast has always been open to the culture of sports and football has definitely been one of the most celebrated sports in this part of India. Nagaland has now rolled over to move a step ahead with the rest of the world in cheering for their favourite team this year and if you are a football fan, you would have surely noticed the houses hoisting the flags as well as cars passing by with proud waving flags of the country they are supporting. World Cup 2018 has definitely become a festivity rather than just a game. With the FIFA World Cup 2018 kicking in ,we spoke to some of the football fanatics from Nagaland sharing their memories from previous World Cup, and their thoughts on what is going to be the destiny for the team they are rooting for and more! Alem Aier, a teacher by profession, is a true Manchester United fan and says he is supporting Belgium this year. “My favourite memory last year was organizing the screening of final match at police point, …

Rootsandleisure_recipe

Recipe of Nagaland’s Favorite Snack – Spicy Wai Wai Noodles

Published by Lidang

“Growing up in Nagaland, Wai Wai Instant noodles have always been a huge part of our lives. Our lifesaver in times of midday or midnight hunger – especially in hostels when we had no access to stoves in our rooms. Some like it raw and crunchy – mixed with meat or axone pickle; some like it cooked “Naga style” with a hot Raja mircha and some of us here crave for it first thing in the morning! With a hot cup of tea – especially on a cold rainy morning.” Today, we have a special and easy-to-make wai wai recipe – contributed by our friend from Nagaland, Lidang. Ingredients 1 packet Wai Wai noodles 1 small finely chopped onions 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce Green chillies/ Naga King chilli/ Chilli powder (as per your preference) 1 cup of chopped green veggies of your preference Directions to cook Boil 1 cup of water and put the chopped onions. After 5-8 minutes, add soya sauce and the wai wai masala and cook for some time again. Add …