Author: Local Foodie

Rootsandleisure_Recipe_Smokedpork_BananaBlossom

Recipe | Smoked Pork with Banana Blossom and Bitter Eggplant (Likok)

“Are banana blossoms edible?” Absolutely yes – and they have some noteworthy benefits for your health too. Just look it up. Not only that, they are just as delectable, and a popular ingredient used in various North East Indian recipes. Today, we are making a banana blossom dish with another star ingredient: Smoked pork. An interesting add-on would be the ‘Likok’ aka Bitter Eggplant, which lends a balancing taste note to the overall dish. This non-fussy dish is simple to make but has a unique memorable taste. So let’s start cooking! Smoked Pork with Banana Blossom and Likok Eggplants Ingredients: 1 Kg Smoked pork (chopped into cubes) 1 banana blossom 3-4 potatoes Around 100 gms of whole Eggplant bitter (Likok) 2 medium-sized tomatoes 8-10 Green chilies  Salt to taste Main Ingredient 1: Smoked Pork Main Ingredient 2: Banana Blossoms Getting the Ingredients Ready: Banana blossoms: Remove the outer covers until you get the inner softer white portion. Now holding it vertically with the stalk on top, start slicing into small thin pieces with a sharp …

Rootsandleisure_river fish with bastenga

Naga Recipe | River Fish with Bastenga (Bamboo Shoot Juice)

Fresh river fish cooked in bastenga (bamboo shoot juice) is a delicacy in Nagaland. Made with minimal ingredients and easy to prepare, it is one of the many popular items often made during picnics and family outings by the riverside. Today’s recipe is made using three ingredients: river fish, bastenga, and lots of green chilies. This can stay in your fridge for days and can be relished as a side dish across many meals. Enjoy! River Fish with Green Chilies and Bastenga Ingredients: 2 Kgs of fresh river fish 10-15 fresh green chilies 1/2 cup bastenga (bamboo shoot juice) 1″ grated local ginger Salt to taste Directions to cook: Wash the fish properly, changing the water multiple times – until it runs clean Chop the green chilies and add them to the fish Pour the bastenga (bamboo shoot juice) Add salt Mix the above ingredients carefully. Now add water such that it covers the whole mix Cover with a lid, and cook for about 25-30 mins (or until the fish is cooked) Remove the lid, …

Rootsandleisure_donut recipe

Recipe of Naga Doughnut – A Local Favorite and Christmas Must-Have

Come December, most households in Nagaland will be busy making doughnuts at home. Especially on Christmas eve, the whole family and neighbors get together post-dinner to spend hours making this most cherished festive snack – over cups and cups of hot tea and coffee, with Boney M playing in the background. Today, one of our friends Senti from Nagaland shares her family’s doughnut recipe.  Ingredients 1 Kg Flour 2 tablespoons Baking powder 6 Eggs 1 Cup Sugar 1 cup Ghee Oil for deep frying Directions to Make Mix the flour and baking powder Separate the egg white and the yoke Now beat the egg white until fluffy and add the sugar to the egg white. Now blend in the yoke and the ghee and mix well Add the egg mixture to the flour and baking powder, and make a dough. Knead well. Leave it aside for 2 hours  Knead the dough again Now take a rolling pin, and roll out the dough on a wide flat surface (usually a dining table in a Naga household). …

Rootsandleisure_Thaifriedrice

Recipe | Thai Fried Rice with Fermented Fish ‘Pla Som’

  Today’s recipe is an interesting fried rice dish contributed by Utchi – owner of the popular cafe ‘Little Sunshine’ in Bangkok, which is known for its delectable healthy homemade dishes.  Utchi’s version of the popular fried rice is made using ‘Pla Som’ fermented carp fish – a star ingredient according to Utchi “Fermented fish is one of my favorite ingredients. Besides the probiotics found in fermented food, it’s also bursting with flavors, especially in this fried rice.” Let’s start cooking! Ingredients: 2 fillets of  ‘Pla Som’ – Thai stinky fish, fermented with salt and glutinous rice. (You can add more as per your preference) 2 cups of cooked rice 1/2 teaspoon of chopped ginger 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies Oil for frying Salt and Pepper as per the taste 1-2 eggs 1-2 teaspoons of fish sauce Mixed green vegetables (used here, local veg from Chiang Mai called Chiang da veggie) Chopped scallions (optional) coriander for garnish 1-2 squeeze of lemon ‘Pla Som’ – Thai Fermented Fish | Source : mgronline …

Rootsandleisure_Paratha and aloo with tea

Recipe of ‘Plain Paratha and Aloo Fry’ with Chai by Khevito Elvis Lee

As the lockdown continues, most of us are in a constant pursuit to pick up on new skills – and cooking is turning out to be quite popular. That being said, it may not be that easy for most of us to master our favorite dishes in such a short period of time. But this is where our evening starts to brighten up. . . Over the last 3-4 years of our short existence (so far), we have been lucky to have met so many passionate and talented and kind folks who have been inspiring us from day 1. Today our friend Khevito Elvis Lee – chef and owner of the popular ‘Hornbill Restaurant’ in Delhi, is here to teach us how to make the yummiest paratha and aloo fry! Yes, we know, it’s one of our favorite dishes in this world! Best part is, it is super easy to make , and the ingredients are easy to find in your kitchen anyday. So without wasting much time, let’s get started! Ingredients for Plain Paratha …

rootsandleisure_fishkebab

#RECIPE | 5 Recipes from Famous Naga Chef and Owner of ‘Saucy Joes’, Joel Basumatari

With Saturday, comes the time for exclusive R&L recipes but today, we’ve made it a little more special by sharing 5 recipes with you , straight from the kitchen of the famous Naga chef, Joel Basumatari. Joel is a master of Naga cuisine and has his own line of organic sauces, ‘Saucy Joes’, which are largely made using indigenous items and use no artificial preservatives. These sauces were launched and became a hit at Hornbill Festival ’17.  Chef Joel hopes that through them, he can represent the Naga cuisine around the world. He believes that with local cuisines taking on the world, we will be able to create opportunities and jobs for farmers and youths. R&L got a chance to learn the recipes of his signature dishes, which use the unique sauces from Saucy Joes. We’ve got everything from salads to desserts on our blog. Keep scrolling! 1.Squash and Mango Salad Ingredients— 1 medium sized squash cut into julienne 1 small carrot cut into julienne 1 tablespoon of roasted perilla seeds (powdered) 1 tablespoon of …

Directions to Cook the Rice: Wash the rice and put it into a pressure cooker Pour hot boiling water and pressure cook for 20-25 mins Rice is ready! Ingredients For the chu

Recipe | Steamed White and Red Sticky Rice with Ginger and Axone Chutney

Sticky rice is another favorite of the people in Nagaland. It can be eaten simply as a rice substitute for meals, or as an afternoon snack. Usually eaten with a chutney, it is one of the best afternoon snacks to be relished with a hot cup of tea on a cold rainy day. There are a variety of sticky rice available in the region; the ones we have used here is a mix of white and red sticky rice, and the end result has a beautiful dark red finish.  Ingredients: 3-4 cups of sticky rice(mix of white and red rice) 3-4 cups of hot boiling water Directions to Cook the Rice: Wash the rice and put it into a pressure cooker Pour hot boiling water and pressure cook for 20-25 mins Rice is ready! Ingredients For the chutney : 5-6 chunks peeled ginger (approx 3 inches) 1 small bowl of chunky axone (fermented soya beans) mixed with with chili flakes and salt 2-3 tablespoons of ground schezwan seeds (“mong mong” seeds) Directions to Make the …