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Rootsandleisure_Recipe_Chillioil_noodles

Recipe | Super Easy Chili Oil Noodles

Published by Nara Longkumer

An easy recipe for everyone to try out. It can be as spicy or plain as you want, depending on your taste preference. The toasted schezwan peppers add a special flavor – must try! Scroll down below for full recipe. Chili Oil Noodles by Nana Ingredients: Chili flakes (Qty depending on your preferred hotness level) 2 tbsp schezwan peppers (toasted and crushed) 2 Bay leaves 1 cup of vegetable oil 1 packet of noodles Salt to taste 2 tbsp of fish sauce 1 tsp of vinegar Meat of choice (optional) Toasted sesame seeds for garnish Preparing the Chili Oil: Mix the chili flakes and schezwan pepper in a bowl. Heat oil until hot and add two bay leaves. Remove from the stove, and pour the hot oil into the chilli flakes and pepper mixture. Set aside to let it cool. Preparing the Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook the noodles – as instructed in the packet. Stir if required, to ensure the noodles don’t stick to each other Once cooked, …

Rootsandleisure_Arieno Kera

Artist Arieno Kera from Nagaland Makes Dreamy Renditions of People Around Her – Through Her Signature Acrylic Portraits

Published by Deno Dolie

Arieno Kera is a Fine Art student from Nagaland. A childhood friend, I remember her as this calm individual who had the most natural flair for painting and art – for as long as I can remember. Growing up together, I am so excited to see where her talent is going to take her. Currently, she is pursuing fine arts as a student and she has already captured the hearts of many – with her signature dreamy portraits in acrylic. Worthy to note that she always had a keen interest in stories and people, and that comes out beautifully through each stroke in all her paintings. In her own words, her work is inspired by “the Realist and Impressionistic art periods. They made me see the beauty in truth, in the ordinary, and in life.” I chat with her to give you guys a glimpse into her portfolio of work. Fine Art student Arieno Kera | Photo by Ghanajit Wahengbam Deno: Hi Arieno, such a fan of your portraits! Please introduce yourself.  Arieno: My name …

Rootsandleisure_Soccer Cafe_Dikhri Wezah

Die Hard Soccer Fan and Coffee Lover Dikhri Wezah Opens Soccer Cafe in Kohima to Bring His Two Passions Together

Published by Menule Chirhah

Introducing a dear friend of mine, who has inspired me all these years with his ‘can-do’ attitude, and a zealous attitude towards life. Say hi to Dikhri Wezah from Kohima – a passionate and hardworking comrade of mine. At just 25 years of age, he has accomplished a major goal he has set for himself. Knowing the kind of person that he is, I know that this is just the beginning. A year ago, over a casual conversation, he shared about his dream to open a cafe, where he can merge his love for football and food – specifically to promote a healthy lifestyle. So when I received an invitation to the opening of his restaurant last November, I was overjoyed and told myself with a smile ‘The deed has been done indeed.’ And true to his vision, Dikhri’s ‘Soccer cafe’ is a hip hang out spot for football lovers in Kohima, where one can enjoy live screenings, healthy food, and great coffee. So let’s have a chat with Dikhri to get more details. Dikhri …

Two Sisters from Nagaland Bring Eco Friendly Soy Candles for the Conscious Consumer | Chat with ‘Millennials & Gen Z’ Candles

Published by Menule Chirhah

I sat down with sisters Nuzosalu and Akholu Nyekha – founders of  ‘Millennials & Gen Z’ candles over the weekend to take you through their venture in detail. They specialize in making scented candles, or ‘therapy candles’ as they call it, using soy wax, which are biodegradable and hence much more environment-friendly.  They started this venture as a hobby during the pandemic lockdowns, and I have been mesmerized ever since. What is even more admirable is their conscious contribution to their environment through their eco-friendly initiatives like using biodegradable soy-wax for their candles; they also have a recycling initiative where a customer can return four empty glass jars and get a new therapy candle in return. So let us try and understand more about their work / life philosophy, and explore the goodness of their therapy candles through a quick chat. Sisters Nuzosalu and Akholu Nyekha – founders of ‘Millennials & Gen Z’ Candles Menu: Hello Nuzo and Akho, thanks for taking out time to have this chat. Please introduce yourselves Millennials & Gen Z: We are …

Rootsandleisure_Keny Metha

Keny Metha from Kohima Talks About Her Obsession with Food and Cooking – and How to Turn Simple Toast into a Yummy Snack

Published by Deno Dolie

I am here today with Keny Metha from Kohima – a self-confessed lover of all things food and cooking. Her creative hobbies serve as a treasure trove for her friends and followers – to discover new cuisines, cooking styles, and plenty of other creative arts. To me, she comes across as this mysterious being, who is always up to something – usually ‘cooking up’ a new concept/idea. Add to that, her calm energy, one cannot help, but be inspired, whenever we are around her. Over a chat, I try to dig deeper into her love for food and cooking, her sources of inspiration, what kind of music gets her creative juices going – and also get her to share a simple recipe that we can all try out. Read on for the full conversation. Deno: Hey Keny, happy to be having this conversation with you on R&L 🙂 Please introduce yourself, and tell us more about what keeps you occupied these days. Keny: Heyy… Keny here everyone : ) I’m 24, and I stay in …

“Every Time I Finish a Book, I want to Take it Apart and Discuss with Fellow Book Lovers” ~ Sulika Swu, on Why She Started Her Bookstagram Account

Published by Deno Dolie

I have a passion for traveling and meeting new people. I find it immensely gratifying to venture out in the open and explore. Similarly, I have a bunch of friends, who have their own ways of finding adventure in their stack of books. Just like I would come back with stories from my travels, they would passionately share tales from their latest read. Always makes for a lovely conversation! So today, I am here with a booklover friend of mine – Sulika Swu from Kohima. She has an insatiable appetite for books – all kinds, and personally, I find her reading list very interesting. However, her well-written reviews are the real deal. For a casual reader like me, her curated reading list – each with a personal review is super insightful. Infact, I enjoy the experience of going through her reviews just as much as I would enjoy a book. On that note, Sulika recently launched an Instagram account to share her personal reviews on all the books she’s read. Stay on with me and …

Albert Seluokuolie Rutsa_profile

Young Photographer Albert Rutsa from Nagaland Inspires Us to Take a Cue from Storytellers of Yore to Tell New Stories

Published by Deno Dolie

Albert is from Kohima Village and his pictures depict so much about our Naga way of life. Going through his pictures is a beautiful reminder about our Naga identity and about our simple lifestyle and practices. I chat with Albert, an old friend, about his love for Naga culture, how he started his visual storytelling hobby, and some more. Deno: Hi Albert, nice catching up again 🙂 Please introduce yourself to R&L readers. Albert: Hi, I’m Albert Seluokuolie Rutsa. I was born and brought up in Kohima Village, where I have spent the better part of my life. I am a photography and videography enthusiast, and I’m currently engaged with Stillfilms Production Kohima. Growing up I have always been fascinated by the stories and folktales my parents and elders would share, my imagination would run wild and I would constantly picture the stories in my mind. It instilled in me, a love for our culture and a desire to preserve it. Deno: How would your friends describe you? I can’t read their minds but I’d …

Rootsandleisure_foodnotic_eyinbeni Ireland

We Chat with an Old Schoolfriend from Nagaland – Eyingbeni, to Get a Glimpse ofHer Life and Work in Ireland

Published by Roots & Leisure

Ah, 2020, it was quite a year, wasn’t it? In its own peculiar way, it provided a much-needed pause for many of us. It gave us the precious opportunity to reconnect with ourselves, rediscover our hobbies and passions, and even reconnect with old friends. Speaking of which, one fine evening, we had the pleasure of catching up with an old friend from school, Eyingbeni, who now resides in Ireland. She’s someone who has traversed the globe through her work, and we’ve always been fascinated by her laid-back yet fulfilling life. We decided to have a chat with her to delve deeper into her experiences in a foreign land, her exciting travel adventures, and of course, her amazing food account @foodnotic, where she occasionally treats us to her delightful homemade creations. Hello Eying, so nice to be finally having this chat. Please introduce yourself to our readers 🙂 Eying: Hi everybody, it’s a pleasure to e-meet you and I hope you have all been keeping well. What an incredible year 2020 was. What a year it …

Rootsandleisure_donut recipe

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

Published by Local Foodie

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’

Published by Local Foodie

  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 …