All posts filed under: FOOD

Naga Food, Nagaland – NorthEast of India

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Silkworms | The Eco-Friendly Naga Delicacy

Recycle and Reuse – nothing should go to waste. Bet you’ve heard that too many times already. Today, let us show you how to practice it and hopefully, it’ll leave an unforgettable taste in your mouth or at least in your imagination for now 🙂 So yes where is this leading to? A recipe of one of Nagaland’s many delicacies – the silkworm. Since it’s one of our favourites, we did a little bit of research to find out why should we even eat them –  does it have any benefits other than the fact that it’s super delicious? We know some of you may go eww.eww . .Eeeeoow!! But check out the cool facts we dug up – it may probably change your mind. From a story that dates back to 5000 years ago, the Chinese Empress Xi Ling-Sh apparently discovered silk when a cocoon fell into her hot cup of tea. As the cocoon unraveled , she realized that it can make exquisite cloth  – as her fingers ran through the fine threads. This is how silk …

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Naga Dish | Beef with Sun Dried Spring Onion

We had a small get together at home and we cooked our fav smoked beef dish. Thought we’d share it with you all. Again like most of my dishes – non fussy and super tasty. Ingredients: 8-10 Dried red chillies 1/2 kg smoked beef 4 tablespoons of dried bamboo shoot 8-10 pieces of strands of sun dried spring onion ~500 ml of water Salt to taste Directions: Cut each of the smoked beef into 2″- 3″ pieces Put the smoked beef and chilies in a heavy lid utensil – put in salt and mix thoroughly Pour water , cover the lid and bring it to a boil and cook till done Clean and wash the dried spring onions, chop Just 5 minutes before you turn off your gas (after your meat is fully cooked) put in the chopped dried spring onions and dried bamboo shoot. Mix well and cover the lid and keep it for 5 mins. Serve with steamed rice, with vegetable and chutney on the side.

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Veg Side Dish| Yardlong beans and local yam shoots

Today we have a veg dish for a change – as requested by one of our readers 🙂 It’s an easy-to-make vegetable side dish.So here you go, Happy weekend!! Ingredients: 100 ml of bamboo shoot juice 8-10 Green chilly 250 grams Yardlong beans 250 grams Local Yam shoots 250 ml of water Salt to taste Directions: 1.Put all the ingredients in a medium size pot with the required amount of water and cook until the water is dried up. Serve as a side dish.

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Smoked Pork with Green Peas

Thank heavens the weekend is here finally! Time for all of us to relax, watch a movie, catch up on some reading and maybe some home cooked food. In the mood to cook anyone? Well, not really cooking but some really tasty Naga food . So let’s do an easy one 🙂 Have been craving for smoked pork for a while now – so that’s what we are cooking today! Seriously though – we’ve been sharing recipes on smoked pork since the beginning of R&L and it got us wondering how many of our readers actually have access to smoked pork. For us in Nagaland, we make them in our kitchens over the fireplace (yes – every kitchen have a fireplace out here).For all those living outside Nagaland – share with our other readers how you source these stuffs. Now the recipe – Smoked Pork in mashed potato and fresh green peas. Ingredients: 5-6 slices of smoked pork 8-10 Green Chillies 3 whole potatoes 1 1/2 cup green peas 250 grams Cherry Tomatoes 6 tablespoons of …

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Naga Dish | Pork with Turmeric Flower

We are definite that most of our readers here at R&L (including us)  have not yet tried even a fraction of the food available in this world – that are actually edible. And so, it really excites us to explore and share our recipes because of the many possibilities – to cook something up using the same ingredients and oh! how differently right? For example ,we have Idli from the South, Sel Roti from the east and Ma-su-yem (Sticky rice roti in Ao, Naga) from further north east (Nagaland) and all of these are made of one common ingredient “Rice”. Isn’t it amazing? So the recipe for today has an adventure story from last week. After a long day at work, we went to this place in the outskirts of Kohima town , because one of our aunts wanted to pick a ‘flower that was edible’. She said ‘it has huge health benefits with a taste and texture like that of a mushroom’.  It took us about an hour’s ride to get to the place (hillside) and in 30 minutes, we filled about 3 medium sized …

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Naga Dish|Fresh Pond Fish in Bamboo Shoot and Mint

Do you like fish? Most would agree that it is one of the most versatile food ingredients we know – from non fussy finger food to a healthy meal to a gourmet dish, get some fresh fish and you are set. Sharing one of our favourite recipe that is quick and simple to make, plus easy on the wallet. Ingredients Fresh local Pond Fish 5 cloves of garlic Small Size local ginger 10 ml Bamboo Shoot Juice Cherry Tomato 1 King Chilly 250 ml water 6 Mint leaves Salt to taste Direction: Put all the ingredients together in a medium size pot, put half cup water and cover it with a lid. Let it cook for 20-25 mins or until it’s fully cooked and tender. Open the lid and let it cool. Serve it with steamed rice.

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Recipe of Pork in Blood Stew – a Delicacy in Nagaland

Today, we’re excited to share a dish featuring an ingredient that transcends cultural boundaries and is savored by many: pork blood. Across the globe, this unique ingredient finds its way into various culinary traditions, creating mouthwatering delicacies. In Nagaland, it takes the form of a savory stew, where pork innards are cooked in a rich, dark gravy enriched with pig blood, and we call it Aai Choo (in Ao lingo), we call it Aai Choo In the Philippines, it delights taste buds as Dinuguan, while in Guam, it is relished as Fritada. And let’s not forget Europe, where the famous black pudding takes center stage—a delectable black sausage made with pork, dried pig’s blood, pork fat, and an array of spices. Join us as we learn how to make this super delish pork dish! Pork innards cooked in a rich, dark gravy enriched with pig blood. We call it “Aai Choo” (in Ao lingo) in Nagaland Ingredients : 1 1/2 kilogram Pork Intestine and Pork 7-8 Cloves of Garlic Dried Red Chilly medium size Ginger a handful …

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Naga Dish | Stewed Chicken in Bamboo Shoot

It’s already Friday, and what better way to kick off the weekend than by trying out something new in your kitchen? We have a super simple recipe challenge for you! Meet Vilme, a loving husband and father who enjoys cooking at home. He takes charge of most of the cooking duties, with his wife assisting him by chopping ingredients and cleaning the dishes afterward. In many Naga households, it’s common to see men actively participating in kitchen chores and cooking. Today he shares a super simple chicken recipe that is a favorite with his family – Chicken stew with bamboo shoots. Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut roughly into 1″ pieces 5 cloves of garlic 5 dried red chilies 2″ – 3″ ginger 1 medium-sized tomato 1/2 teaspoon of Ajinomoto salt 3 tablespoons of bamboo shoot juice A handful of chives or spring onions Salt to taste Directions: Cut the Chicken into medium-sized pieces. Place the chicken in a large pot and add water. Cover pot and bring it to boil for 15 mins Add the …

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Recipe | Smoked Pork and Kidney Beans Salad

Today we chat up with restaurateur Elvis Khevito –  owner of Hornbill Cafe, Delhi. Lee is here to share with us the recipe of ‘Ki Baa’ – a favourite of his customers. Ki Paa | Kidney Beans salad with Smoked pork – an original recipe of the Khiamniungan tribe, Nagaland Ingredients : Handful Red kidney beans 5 gm Ginger 8-10 Green chilies Coriander leaves 8-10 Cooked Smoked pork Directions: First boil the kidney beans and set it aside. Then cut the cooked smoked pork into small pieces Ground the ginger and chop the chilies. Mix the smoked Pork, kidney beans,the grounded ginger and green chilly together along with some coriander leaves and salt to taste . Mix them well together and preheat them in a microwave at 180° for about 2 mins. Serve Warm.  

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Naga Dish | Steam Fish in Bamboo shoot

This Naga style Steamed Fish is an authentic and simple dish that can be found on a lot of home dinner tables. It’s such an easy and delicious way to prepare fish. Just make sure you buy a good fresh fish. We hope you will try it soon in your homes too! Ingredients : 8 red dried chilly 5 cloves of garlic 1 whole fresh fish <approx. 1 kilogram>  (Here, we have used Rohu; commonly called the Ruee, Rui or Tapra.) 2 tablespoon of bamboo shoot juice 500 ml of water Salt to taste Directions: Clean the Fish and cut it into uniform medium size slices as seen in the picture. Put the fish in a wok / saucepan with all the ingredients together , cover and bring it to boil. The dish is ready when the water dries up. Once it is done, make sure you keep the lid open for the dish to cool down. Best served when its cooled or the morning after. Serve with rice.