All posts filed under: NAGALAND

Explore Nagaland

Young Mom from Nagaland is Trending on Instagram with Her Stylish Traditional Looks | A Chat with “Mekhala Mama”

Published by Roots & Leisure

If you’re following North East Indian fashion on Instagram, chances are you’ve come across “Mekhla Mama” and her super stylish traditional outfits that command attention. At first, we were delighted by her strong sense of individual style. However, as we continued to see her consistently striking looks, our fascination grew and turned to curiosity about the person behind the avatar. We couldn’t help but wonder where she gets her inspiration from, as each style exuded a level of consistency and authenticity that must stem from a personal motivation.  So here we are, chatting up with the lady herself to know all about the person behind the face, and to dig deeper into the message she is trying to convey through her “Mekhala Mama” avatar. R&L: Could you share a bit about yourself and what you do? Mekhala Mama:  My name is Theyie Keditsu and I was born and brought up in Kohima, Nagaland. I currently teach at Kohima College, Department of English. This will be my 12th year of teaching college. I’ve taught in Pfütsero …

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Ambrosia , Japanese Anime Theme Cafe | Nagaland

Published by Kumti

A new cafe/food joint is now a common sight in Dimapur. It sprouts up  almost every season, each with their own unique ideas and themes that we can’t help but keep an observant eye. Today, we introduce you to this adorable café by the name Ambrosia, a Japanese anime themed café which has become the talk of town not only because of the ambiance but also because of the delectable food served. This café is dedicated to all the anime lovers. Holohoto K Yepthomi, currently pursuing L.L.B from City Law College, Dimapur is the owner who has perfectly incorporated his love for Greek myth and Japanese anime into a space of aesthetically amazing café. As soon as you walk into the café, you will see characters from famous Japanese anime hung up on walls, drawn on boards and the transition moves from objects around to your food and right into your being! It is the perfect escape to anime-gination. Cafe culture is one of the current trends in Dimapur. “I am extremely delighted about the …

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Recipe of Exotic Naga Dish | Pork Cooked with Hornet’s Larvae

Published by Roots & Leisure

  Naga Cuisine is known for it’s bold ingredients and hot spices (yes, we mean Raja Mircha/ Bhut Jolokia) Well today, we have a dish that has both these elements : a local dish made out of Hornet’s larvae, cooked with pork and raja mircha. Pelevotuo Solo, Owner of  “Mom and I” Cafe, Kohima contributes this recipe, which is one of the most popular dishes in his cafe. Full recipe below:   Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 1 hour Ingredients : 1kg diced pork meat 250 gms of hornet’s larvae 2 Raja marches or 10-12 dry red chillies 1 tbsp. minced ginger 20 gms fresh bamboo shoot Salt to taste Spices Used – Clockwise from Left (Photo below) : Fresh Bamboo Shoot, Ginger and Raja Mircha   Directions to Cook: Cook the pork in 500ml of water and add salt to taste Add the larvae after 20 mins and let it cook for another 15 mins. Rinse the bambooshoot with hot water ( to decrease heavy sourness) Put the bambooshoot and dried chilly together and cook for about …

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“We Can Be As Free As We Want To be – Through Our Imagination” | Meet Artist & Illustrator, Tekalong Longkumer

Published by Roots & Leisure

Don’t we all agree that art is such a beautiful medium of reading into the minds of people? All you need to do is spend some time going over an artist’s work, and you can get a good idea about the thoughts and the mood of the creator – spend some more time, and sometimes you can even see a piece of their life story; even the way an onlooker interprets an artwork can be pretty revealing. Given the fact that we are endlessly fascinated by people and their stories, an artist’s portfolio is gold! From the experienced to the newbie, there is an ocean of emotions and stories to be uncovered. We live for such discoveries. So once again, over a weekend catchup over tea, we came across some refreshing artwork on Facebook that somehow brightened our day with it’s pure energy and calmness. We reached out to the artist to know more about him and his art, and it was indeed a refreshing chat. Meet Tekalong Longkumer from Nagaland – a 20 year old …

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“My Mom’s Galho Restaurant Inspired Me to Open This Cafe” Pelevotuo Solo, Owner of “Mom and I” Cafe in Kohima

Published by Imtee Jamir

Growing up in Nagaland, dining out meant visiting the local “Chow & Momo” restaurants or being invited to a friend’s or relative’s house for dinner or tea. However, the food scene has significantly evolved over time, with new cafes, restaurants, lounges, and bakeries popping up every month. Today, one can be spoiled for choice with the abundance of options available. What’s interesting to note is that most of these places have been founded and managed by passionate youngsters in Nagaland. It’s pretty fascinating and cool, isn’t it? The best part is that these founders often have interesting personal stories behind their food ventures. Today, we meet with Pelevotuo Solo, who runs a Galho restaurant in Kohima called ‘Mom and I’ Cafe.  We chat with Pelevotuo Solo, owner of “Mom & I” cafe in Kohima Nagaland, to find out why all love this humble cafe. R&L: Hi Pelevotuo, tell us the story behind your cafe “Mom and I” in Kohima. Pelevotuo: I was born and brought up in Kohima, Nagaland and I have a Master’s Degree in …

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Meet the Sister Duo Founders of Local Fashion Brand “Shipen-Shisang” from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

Introducing the sister duo from Nagaland who founded ‘Shipen-Shisang,’ a collaborative fashion production house that has taken the local fashion scene by storm. Their entrepreneurial journey started in August 2017 in a small Northeastern Indian town, driven by their admiration for handiwork and the dignity of labor. The sisters’ profound understanding of their brand’s worth identifies a need for simple yet uniquely cool and comforting designs in the Indian fashion market. We chat with the founders of ‘Shipen Shisang’ Tutu (L) and Asang (R) R&L: Hi Tuti & Asang, thanks for chatting with us! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Titu & Asang: We were born and brought up in Dimapur, and our native village is Longsa, located in Nagaland’s Mokokchung district. Our design inspirations stem from observing and interacting with everyday people, which is reflected in our classic yet versatile designs suitable for both daily wear and special occasions. “At Shipen-Shisang, we believe that fashion is a powerful form of self-expression that represents one’s beliefs and identity. Comfort and trends are important, but we also …

Recipe | Wholesome Pumpkin Gravy

Published by Roots & Leisure

Today’s recipe is a wholesome pumpkin gravy which is best eaten with rice. Serve it hot. Ingredients : 250 grams of pumpkin 3 green chillies 2 pieces of fermented fish 1 medium sized tomato A handful of chives Salt to taste. Directions to cook : Dice the pumpkin into small chunks Slice the tomato into 4 pieces In a saucepan, add the pumpkin, chillies(whole), tomato, fermented fish, salt and enough water Boil it for 15 minutes then turn off the heat Mash the pumpkin, chillies, tomato, fermented fish using a pestle Let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Garnish with chives.

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Recipe | Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Published by Imtee Jamir

  Celebrating the festive season isn’t half as fun without some delicious desserts. Ring in the New Year with this super-indulgent Chocolate Raspberry Tart. Dark chocolate, cream cheese, icing sugar, heavy cream, it doesn’t get any better than this! What better way to start off the new year than with a slice of this divine chocolate tart, right? Today’s dessert recipe is contributed by our lovely friend, Kutshou Therie. Let’s get baking! Ingredients : For the shell: Plain Flour 1&1/2 cup Powdered sugar 1/2 cup Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp Salted Butter 120g Baking powder 1/4th tsp Ice cold water 2tbsp For the filling: Dark chocolate 150g Heavy cream 270 ml Raspberry pie filling 200g Cream cheese 100g Icing sugar 2-3 tbsp For the topping: Few Raspberry or pomegranate kernels Method: Sift flour, cinnamon and baking powder together. Combine butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. Add the flour mixture and sprinkle ice cold water to make a soft dough. Roll the dough and place it over a 9-inch tart pan …

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Faces | Paan Shops in Nagaland are Like Local Meeting Hubs

Published by Roots & Leisure

  “One of the most interesting places you can visit here in Nagaland is the colony paan shop. The shop in this photo is a small paan shop (with the owner) in Jakhama village, Kohima.  These colony paan shops are like the local meeting hubs, where informal catch ups take place and titbits are exchanged. You’d probably end up collecting the latest news from all the nooks and corners of the world! This is a great leveller too; the old and the young, the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy, the school kid and the businessman, all rely on these shops to meet their daily needs.” ~ Shanthungo