All posts filed under: FOOD

Naga Food, Nagaland – NorthEast of India

Recipe of ‘Poosanikai Mor Kootu’ made with Ash-Gourd, Coconut and Yogurt – a Family Recipe From Tamil Nadu, by Preethi Venkatram

Published by Samyama

Saturday is here and we have another exciting family recipe all the way from Tamil Nadu! Contributed by Preethi Venkatram, our dish of the day is called Poosanikai Mor Kootu or Ash gourd, coconut and yoghurt curry. Preethi discovered her talent for cooking when she shifted to North Carolina, USA. She started her blog ‘cookingwithpree’. A mother to 2 kids, she hopes that one day she can pass it on to her children just as her mother and aunt passed on their recipe books to her. Her blog focuses on simple and easy vegetarian recipes with vegan options. She has a knack for experimenting with different cuisines while keeping them healthy. Pree says, “I don’t believe in cooking separately for kids and adults, so all my recipes will be kid-friendly, with no compromise on taste for the adults as well.” Mor Kootu has always been one of Pree’s favourite yoghurt-based recipes from the Tambram cuisine. Her mother paired it with a spicy Vathal Kuzhambu and rice and used white pumpkins as the main ingredient. The …

Nagaland’s First Food Bike, ‘Fusion Bytez’, is Capturing Our Taste Buds and Our Hearts

Published by Kumti

There’s something about street food that never fails to impress us! Whether it’s the mix of local taste in worldly dishes or a spicy treat on a budget, there’s nothing quite like a good street food stall! While hunting for our next food-joint in Dimapur, we stumbled upon a quirky little food stall called ‘Fusion Bytez’. We say ‘quirky’ because this stall isn’t like any other — it’s Nagaland’s very first food bike! Run by three brothers, the small place serves some amazing food. If you want to take a break from visiting fancy restaurants and enjoy some zingy street food, head to the stretch of City Tower area. Don’t forget to try out their Chicken Drumsticks and Twisted Potatoes! We were thrilled to see three brothers busy catering to the customers. Despite the frenzy rush, we managed to have a quick conversation with one of them. He told us that some of the food stall workers and owners have completed their studies while others are still studying and doing this as a part time …

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

Published by Local Foodie

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 …

Meet the Chef Who is Taking Naga Cuisine to the International Scene—Salangyanger from Mokokchung, Nagaland

Published by Temsulong

Salangyanger is a Naga Chef who is putting the Naga cuisine on the world map! His cooking style incorporates different contemporary methods with traditional cooking and herbs. After winning the title of ‘Naga Chef’ at the 2015 Hornbill Naga Chef Contest, he released a cookbook which showcases traditional Naga recipes. Lately, he has been using his platform and skills to put Naga food in the limelight at the international scene. Join us as we unravel Salangyanger’s journey from humble beginnings to international chef status! Hello Yanger, tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m Salangyanger Jamir, a 29-year-old chef hailing from Mopungchuket village, Mokokchung; currently based in Kohima. I am a professional chef and I specialise in Japanese cuisine & Vegetable Carving. I have a cookbook called ‘Naga Appetite: A Collection of Essential Recipes’. Salangyanger displaying his menu at V-Rox Expo, Vladivostok, Russia Currently, I’m a freelance chef and have partnered up with a catering group called Aromatic Fusion, which is a catering service that aims to create recipes that make you ‘experiment with your …

Recipe of Bhindi ‘Ambil Khatta’ from Western Odisha, by Food Blogger Priyanka Panda

Published by Samyama

Our guest contributor today is a 25-year-old food blogger Priyanka Panda from Sambalpur, Odisha. She runs a food blog on Instagram called ‘Treasure of Food’, to help spread her Odia culture through culinary experiences and recipes. With us today, she shares her favourite comfort food called Ambil. She has grown up eating this delicious bhindi (okra) and curd-based recipe. This dish is particularly famous in Western Odisha. There are more than a hundred versions of ‘Ambil Khatta’! Today, we are going to cook Priyanka’s personal favourite version which is made with Bhindi or Bhendi (okra), ‘Bhendi Ambil Khatta’. “This dish does require a bit of attention to get the taste and consistency right but my grandma has helped me perfect it, so i’ll be sharing all the added tips as well.” ~ Priyanka. Ingredients: (serves 4, prep time – 10 minutes) 8-10 pieces of Bhindis or okras 2-3 tomatoes – diced 1/2 a cup of curd 2-3 tbsp of besan or chickpea flour 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp red chilli powder 2 tbsp of vegetable …

#RECIPE | Traditional Naga Delicacy, Pork Innards, by Lilia Jimomi

Published by Temsulong

Pork innards hold a cherished place in Naga cuisine, enjoyed for their rich flavors and unique cooking methods worldwide. Today, we’re excited to bring you an authentic Naga-style preparation of this local favorite. Join us as Lilia Jimomi, hailing from Dimapur, generously shares her family’s treasured recipe for pork innards. It’s a delectable choice for those special weekend dinners! Lilia reminisces, “In our childhood, the anticipation of special occasions meant one thing: the arrival of freshly reared pork for our family. It became a cherished ritual to prepare the pork innards or pork blood as a prelude to the main feast. This moment was truly exceptional as we relished our favorite part of the pig—the innards, never sourced from the market.” Now we have all grown up, are married, and have our own families. So many things have changed except our love for pork innards— the special family meal before the main feast at home. There are many ways to cook the innards. And I’m glad to be sharing one of my favorite recipes with …

#Recipe | Drumstick And Raw Mango Curry By Lubna Karim From Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Published by Samyama

Lubna Karim from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, started her own food blog ‘Yummy Food’ to journal the recipes she created. Looking at the brilliant response she got from readers, she went on to devote herself full-time into creating recipes, food styling and food photography. To kick start our weekend, Lubna brings to us one of her most personal recipes. It’s a traditional Andhra recipe made with fresh seasonal ingredients — Drumstick and Raw Mango Curry or Sojni ki Munagakaya Mamidikaya Pulusu. This recipe was passed down from her mother-in-law, whom she bonds over cooking! Authentic Andhra Cuisine is usually vegetarian/vegan and known for its combination of tanginess and spices. The raw green mangoes available in Andhra during summers have that special sharp-flavour which, when absorbed by the drumstick, tastes extremely delicious. INGREDIENTS: 3 drumsticks (munagakaya), peeled and cut into 3” inch long even pieces 1 onion, finely sliced ½ medium sized raw mango (mamidikaya), peeled and cut into cubes 2 green chilies cut into half 1 tbsp red chili powder ½ tbsp turmeric powder ¼ tbsp …

#RECIPE | Desi-Manipuri Fusion Chicken Curry ‘Yen Thongba’ by Robinson Ningombam

Published by Temsulong

Yen thongba is a chicken curry dish from Manipur brought to us by one of our readers, Robinson Ningombam, who has put his own spin on the traditional Meitei recipe. He says, “It is one of my favourite recipes as it involves a fusion of both desi spices and traditional Manipuri ingredients. Whenever I am in Delhi, I cook this chicken curry. It isn’t as tasty as the one I make in Manipur because the ingredients I get in the city is different from the organic ingredients I get back at home. Nevertheless, I am always reminded of home whenever I cook it, even though I am miles away. All my friends, including my non-north east friends, really like this particular style of chicken. “ It’s a great story of how food-cultures from different parts of India are blended into one and we are able to come together to share something yummy. Enjoy! Cooking Yen Thongba, with potatoes and spring onions. Ingredients— 700 g country chicken. Washed and Chopped (young organic chicken is highly …

A Chat With Akho, the Owner of Lerina’s Cafe – An All-New Cafe in Dimapur

Published by Kumti

We, at Roots and Leisure, love finding cozy cafes for our readers. Sometimes it’s the food that catches our attention, sometimes the ambiance. Today, we have a cafe that’s got both – a cosy aesthetic and some amazing food! We headed out to the newly launched cafe and met with its owner, Akho Lerina. The 27-year-old man had always dreamt of starting his own business and a restaurant, which became a reality with Lerina’s cafe. Welcoming everyone with a smile into his cafe, Akho is as charming and humble as his cafe! Head to the link in bio to know what he had to say about his cafe. Lerina’s Cafe was Akho’s lifelong dream! Hello Akho, please introduce yourself to our readers! Hello, thank you so much for having me here. My name is Akho and I’m 27 years old. I belong to the Mao Naga community in Dimapur, Nagaland. I own a cafe called Lerina’s Cafe, which launched recently on the 8th of July, 2019. I had always wanted to be a self-made …

#RECIPE | Spicy Bengali Dish ‘Gondhoraj Mutton’ by Arijit Dey, from Kolkata

Published by Samyama

Today we’re bringing to you a dish all the way from Kolkata called ‘Gondhoraj Mutton’! It’s a perfect dish to enjoy your weekend with! The recipe was shared by Arijit Dey, a Kolkata based fashion designer by profession and a passionate cook. He uses a special ingredient called Gondhoraj to make this dish, which is a native lime of Bengal. Arijit says he has always had a passion for food and his happiest moments have mostly been around food. Whether it was enjoying Gondhoraj Mutton with his family on Sundays or learning about food and culture from locals while traveling. This love is also what inspires him to share stories and recipes from different cultures with people! It’s as delicious as it looks! Gondhoraj lime can be easily found in online shops. The specialty of this lime is its fragrance and mellow flavour. You can also use kaffir lime leaves – but make sure to use it in lesser quantity as it has an overpowering taste compared to Gondhoraj. Ingredients: Mutton (1kg) Yogurt (200 gms) …