Author: Roots & Leisure

RootsandLeisure_Wedding

Wedding | Recap of my wedding day

Published by Roots & Leisure

Often our friends would ask us about how weddings happen in Nagaland. Whether it was mostly about love or arranged marriages. So, we caught up with a friend , Temsumongla  – from across the miles to share her wedding story with us……. How did you meet your husband? I met him about a  year and three months ago, when he came home (Dimapur) on one of his few holidays to India. He has been working abroad for a while and we had never met before until this time. My now mother-in-law somehow pulled it off trying to introduce  the two of us and that is how it all started – very simple and little hassle to say the least. When did you get married? Your wedding theme? Were you nervous? It was the 9th of Dec’ 2015 at 7 in the morning and I was everything but nervous. The ninth of December turned out to be a blessing. The floral vintage themed decoration, the Naga food, the people, the weather…oh boy! I couldn’t have asked for more. …

Rootsandleisure_Shinobi1

Interview with Moanungsang aka Shinobi – An Artist and Branding Expert from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

Meet Moanungsang Lemtur from Nagaland –  a talented artist and a graphic designer – working in a design firm in Pune. He’s a genius when it comes to all things branding, packaging, logo design – and a lot more! We met him on Twitter (@shinobiSneakIn) a while ago, and have watched him only grow since then. From a kid with artistic talent – to an influencer and a trendsetter in the creative community, we had to know where he gets his inspiration from and where he’s headed.  Hi Moa, so tell us why you call yourself ‘Shinobi’?  “Shinobi” is just a name I picked up many years ago. I got really inspired after watching a documentary about Ninjas on the History Channel. I love the dedication they have for their martial art form, the varieties of weapons they master, their techniques and their craft – all of it. Knowing that they actually existed in our real world got me intrigued. So, Shinobi is my tribute to their way of life. It’s like a self-made alter ego – he encourages me, he …

rootsandleisure_sticky rice roti

Recipe of ‘Sticky Rice Roti’ – Nagaland’s Favorite Tea-Time Snack

Published by Roots & Leisure

A cherished noontime activity among locals in Nagaland is to get together on the balcony and enjoy a hot cup of tea, with family members and neighbors. Tea is often accompanied by biscuits from the local bakeries or homemade snacks.  ‘Sticky rice’ roti is a popular afternoon tea-time snack, made of sticky rice. Some make them crispy, while others prefer them soft and chewy.  Ingredients: Sticky Rice Flour – 2 Cups (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml) Sugar – 3 Teaspoon Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon Water – as required Pinch of Baking Soda Oil for deep frying Directions to Make: Mix the sticky rice flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Add water – 2-3 tablespoons at a time and knead well to form a dough. Adjust the water quantity such that the dough is not too soft; keep the dough a little stiff and tight. Divide the dough into small palm-sized rolls, and then flatten into small circles. (Make sure the thickness is medium, else it won’t …

rootsandleisure_NagaSoup

Naga Soup |Simple Herb Soup

Published by Roots & Leisure

Great food are usually those that are simplest to make. Today – we have the recipe of a soup made out of a herb called Elsholtzia blanda (The Ao tribes call it ‘NAPA’). Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also a comfort food with an amazing flavor. So shall we get started? Ingredients: Serving (2-4) 8-10 Cherry tomatoes (Sliced) 1-2 Green chilly  2-3 stalks of dried Napa (Elsholtzia blanda) 500 ml water Salt to taste Cooking time : 15 minutes Directions: 1. In a medium sized stockpot, put in the sliced tomatoes , chilly and water and bring it to a boil till the ingredients are cooked. 2.Mash the ingredients with a heavy wooden spoon or a tool like shown below 3. Once all the ingredients are mashed, put in the Napa (Elsholtzia blanda)  and cover the stockpot. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

RootsandLeisure_Recipe

Naga Dish | Snail and Smoked Pork

Published by Roots & Leisure

Thanks to a generous food-loving human being for sharing this recipe featuring two of our favourites in one dish : Snails (we call it ‘hamok‘ in Nagamese) and smoked pork.  Ingredients: 2  large Potatoes 1 head Naga garlic 1 medium-sized Naga Ginger 5-8 Naga dried red chilly/Green Chilly 4 tablespoon of fermented bamboo shoot 1 large tomato 1/2 cup chopped coriander 1  kilo of smoked pork 1 kilo of  fresh snail 1 medium onion/Spring onions Directions to cook: Soak the snails in clear water for 48 hrs (so that they cleanse themselves). Change the water every 24 hours. Prepare the snails: Smack the pointed end of the snail with a spoon so that the flavors of the spices go inside. Put all the ingredients together in a heavy lid < aluminum> pot/pressure cooker and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hr. Serve with Rice or Rice Beer. Bon appetit!