Month: September 2019

rootsandleisure_Fikakitchen&studio

Meet Satish Elangbam, the Owner of Fika Kitchen & Studio in Imphal

Fika in Swedish means the act of drinking coffee and having a cheerful time with friends. Satish Elangbam chose to name his new cafe after Fika situated in Imphal. A cosy little corner away from the hustle-bustle of the city, Fika is inspired by Satish’s vision of creating a space that offered live music, amazing views and great food.  We met him to talk about his journey of opening the cafe, what inspired him and his future goals.   Hey Satish, tell us a bit about yourself! Hello, thanks for having me. I am Satish Elangbam from Imphal. I have completed my Bachelor’s degree and Sound Engineering diploma course from Bangalore. I also worked as a sound engineer in Bangalore for few months. However, I decided to leave the city and came back to Imphal in 2017 and started my own venture. Now  I am running  a cafe in Imphal known as Fika Kitchen & Studio. Tell us about the cafe and what inspired you to open it? Fika is a Swedish word which means drinking …

Recipe of ‘Karela(Bittergourd) Channa Dal Sabzi’ By Cardiologist Dr Nimrata Kaur From Rampur, UP

Hello everyone! Today we are trying something new. While we always see food as a sort of indulgence, we are here today with an interesting health recipe which uses one of the most nutritious vegetables, bitter gourd, contributed by Dr Nimrata Kaur, a full-time cardiologist based in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. She runs her own blog where she shares interesting recipes that are super healthy.  Her idea is to make simple tweaks to everyday cooking. Like omitting refined sugars, using low-oil techniques, using healthier and fresher ingredients and more. Today, she is sharing the recipe of one of her favourites – Dry Karela-Channa Dal Sabzi (Bittergourd Lentil Curry). “I lived in Delhi all my life and shifted to Rampur only after my marriage. Karela used to be a vegetable I never got close to because of its bitterness. One day for lunch, I had this delicious preparation made by my mother-in-law. I asked her what the vegetable was and that’s when I got to know it was karelas. I would have never guessed! They were not …

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Meet Chichan Tongtimen – A Student and A Singer from Dimapur

“Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones.” ― Keith Richards For some, singing just comes naturally and flawlessly. Today, we have with us one such soulful singer, Chichan Tongtimen. Currently pursuing Physiotherapy from Delhi NCR, she also performs at various events and occasions. Born and brought up in Dimapur, Chichan’s passion for music grew with age and she hopes to continue pursuing her studies and music, simultaneously. We sat down with her to know her and her music a little better. Visit the link in bio or below to read!   Hey Chichan, tell us a bit about yourself! Hello, I’m Chichan Tongtimen and I’m from Dimapur. Currently, I’m 23 and pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Faridabad and I love to sing. Singing has always been my passion, so whenever I get the time, I sing. It always makes me feel myself. I also used to play the piano before and I play Ukulele sometimes. For how …

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Artsy Cafe, A Creative Cafe Run by a Mother-Son Duo is a New Meeting Hub of Artists and Creatives in Kolkata

Kolkata, a city of deep history and culture, is embodied in Artsy Cafe, a place for every flavor of arts and expression you can imagine! Authors, musicians, visual artists, and more gather in this hub to support each other and create a thriving community of artists. Created by a mother-son duo, Manjyot Kaur and Arshdeep Singh, Artsy had been a long-time dream for both of them. We had a lovely conversation with the duo to see how far the cafe has come and what is just around the corner.  Hello! Thank you for inviting us to your cozy corner. Please introduce yourselves to our eager readers. Arshdeep: My name is Arshdeep Singh. I was born and raised in Kolkata. I have an undergrad degree in Business and have worked across various industries (Development, EduTech, Policy, and Hospitality). I simply love collecting experiences and knowledge each job has to give. Along with Artsy, I also run my own Branding & Design Studio – Kwa:zi which is based out of New Delhi. Manjyot: Hi I’m Manjyot and …

‘My Followers Inspired Me to Publish My First Book’ – Rodingpuii, a Self-Published Poet from Mizoram

Rodingpuii is a self-published poet from Mizoram who became a household name, in her home state, because of her raw and beautiful poems on Instagram. Her popularity on social media led to the publishing of her first book, an anthology of 200 poems, ‘Secondhand Scars’ which was a self-funded project and whose first 500+ copies published, were sold out within the first five days. We sat down with this talented woman to discuss her life and what the success of Secondhand Scars means to her as a poet and as a person.  Hi there, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Rodingpuii, from Mizoram. I am currently pursuing my Masters in English from Pondicherry University. I have a page on Instagram where I write poetry under the name ‘RDP’ and have recently published a poetry book ‘Secondhand Scars’. Introduce us to your work. What exactly do you do and why? My work as a whole, for lack of better specification, would fall under ‘Poetry’. I take delight in expressing …

#FACES | The Beautiful Locals of Spiti Valley and Key Monastery, Himachal Pradesh

I visited this beautiful monastery for the first time in June during my Spiti trip. I always wanted to witness this spectacular monastery as it is located in a pocket space surrounded by breathtaking mountains. Kye Gompa or Key Monastery is 4,166 metres above sea level and is the biggest monastery of Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.  On an amazing yet slightly chilly day, while enjoying the view, I saw these two gorgeous ladies and asked them if I could take a picture of them. They were excited to let me, take their photos!  I talked to them about how they live in Spiti in the winters, how their life is and if they have ever been out of Himachal. They both told me how they love when so many people from all over India come to visit (June-Oct is the peak time) when it’s usually quite silent. They mentioned how they have never been out of Himachal but the lady on the right has a granddaughter studying in Bangalore. These two friends own a homestay where …

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#RECIPE | Korean Kimchi Recipe by Imkong from Dimapur, Nagaland

Sometimes the best dishes are the easiest to make! Today we have one such recipe called Korean Kimchi. Contributed by Mr Imkong, the dish requires a few simple ingredients and sauces. Healthy and easy-to-cook, we use napa cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables along with rice flour to make it. This is definitely going to win hearts!  Ingredients  2. 5 kg of Napa cabbage, cut into 2 or 3 inches  2 carrots, cut into matchstick strips  2 radish, cut into matchstick strips Spring onions White onions Chives Garlic Ginger Chilli powder  Salt  Sticky rice flour(can either use plain flour) Sugar  Fish sauce Instructions 1. Cut the cabbage and wash it thoroughly with clean water, add one and a half cup of salt and mix it thoroughly and marinate it for at least 3 hours or more. Don’t forget to toss it every 20 or 30 minutes and drain the excess water it gives out as it gets marinated in the salt. After it has been marinated, again wash it thoroughly with water and squish out all …

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Chat with Vika Yepthomi, the Owner of Asukhu Dhaba – The All-New Authentic Sumi Restaurant in Dimapur

We all love a cozy corner where we can relish delectable food, but how often do we see an authentic restaurant inspired that serves local Sumi food? Today, we have Vika Yepthomi with us, who started a family restaurant called Asukhu Dhaba. The place serves local traditional food cooked with organic ingredients brought straight from Zunheboto. He started the restaurant along with his wife. One of the specialties of the place is that each recipe that Asukhu Dhaba uses is a special recipe that only their family has mastered. We chatted with Vika to know more about the place.  Hi there! Please introduce yourself to our readers.  My name is Vika Yepthomi. I started Asukhu Dhaba with my wife. She is a doctor by profession and works in Eden hospital. It was our collective love for food which led us venture into this! We launched it in August this year. What was the idea behind launching this restaurant? My wife and I used to go for dinners whenever we’d get time, especially when we were …

Amrita Giriraj, from Chennai, Turns Botanics into Classy Jewellery With Her Venture ‘Alankaara’

Amrita Giriraj from Chennai fell in love with the art of fossilising botanics like flowers and leaves, while she was working on a post-grad project. It was in Kanyakumari, where she led the foundation of her jewellery venture called ‘Alankaara’. Her brand is vastly different from any other jewellery brand that we’ve come across — it captures the essence of a place by preserving it’s flora in jewelry pieces. Alankaara reflects her true self — humble, creative and deeply connected with nature. Since then, she has won the SISA (Start-up of The Year in Social Impact), travelled to Kenya and the Himalayas how flora can also bring you closer a place’s culture. She says, “Over the last 2 years, I’ve immersed myself in what I do and I realised I’m actually a story-teller. Each handcrafted jewellery is a story waiting to be heard and loved.” Meet our amateur botanist and jewellery designer – Amrita It’s great to have this chat with you today! We are beyond excited about your craft. First, please say hi to …

Asenla Jamir from Nagaland Chats About Her Fashion Journey and Also Catch Her in the Upcoming Movie “Axone” by Nicholas Kharghongar

Nagaland has always been a hub for fashion. Whether it’s being prim-and-proper even for our everyday looks or making a statement, we’re always a step ahead in the fashion game. Today, we have Asenla Jamir, who is making waves with her fashion sense. She is a fashion stylist, singer, has done ads and TVs and currently tried her hands in acting with an upcoming movie, Axone! We caught up with this 25-year-old fashionista recently and spoke about her job as a stylist, her graduation fashion project and more. Read our interview with her on our blog.  Hi Asenla, glad to have you here. Tell us a bit about yourself.  Hello, my name is Asenla Jamir and I am 25-years-old. I am currently based in Dimapur, but I was born and raised in Jorhat, Assam. I love doing a little bit of everything to keep myself going. I am working in the fashion industry as a stylist. I also create music covers as a singer. Recently, I tried my hands on acting in the upcoming Movie, …