All posts filed under: NAGALAND

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Meet Anen | ‘The Little Baker’ from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

Today we chat up with Anen Imti – the baker behind ‘The Little Baker‘ in Dimapur, which is quite the talk of the town with its assortment of cakes, breads and doughnuts. Tell us something about ‘The Little Baker‘ The Little Baker (TLB) was started in the summer of 2016 and is based out of Dimapur. TLB is all about baking. Every item in the menu is baked with love. It is also the perfect creative outlet for someone like me, as I have been passionate about the culinary arts and baking for as long as I can remember! We serve all kinds of freshly-baked comfort food like breads, cakes, doughnuts, cupcakes, cookies, pies, desserts, etc. How did it all start? Did you get any formal training? Well yes, I got a formal training in culinary arts from New Delhi, post which I completed an industrial training from one of the top hotels. Then I got the opportunity to work full time in a 5-star resort in Goa – which sort of helped me kick off my career in baking. “After having …

Recipe | Dried Yam leaf Gravy

Published by Vilme

Hello everyone! It’s time for another recipe – and today we are sharing an authentic gravy dish of the Ao Nagas, which goes by the name ‘Mi-ya-sü En-chu’. This dish is generally had with rice as a curry (just like dal). Ingredients 1 cake of dried yam (Anishe: cooked yam stems and leaves, dried in the sun) 4 green chillies 1 large potato – peeled and cut into 4 pieces 1 medium tomato Some dried local spring onions (We call it Khuve in Nagaland) 500 ml of water Salt to taste Preparation Before you start cooking, make sure you soak the yam leaves in hot water for about 5 minutes to soften and clean. Directions to cook: Put all the ingredients in a deep pot. Break the anishe (yam cake) into 2 or 3 pieces with your hands, and add them to the pot. Add water and salt. Cover and let it cook till the ingredients are soft enough to be mashed. Mash the chillies, tomatoes, potato an the anishe with a masher. Put it back to the pot, and add more …

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Meet Keren Longkumer from LOQ | The Sole Whisperer from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

How many of us are familiar with the concept of the American Dream? This grand aspiration has inspired countless individuals worldwide, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and achieve great success in America. We had the opportunity to meet Keren Longkumer, a courageous young talent hailing from Northeast India, who embodies this spirit. Keren was born in Medziphima, spent some years in Kohima, and completed her education in Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh. Following her academic journey, she embarked on a path to Los Angeles to study shoe design—a decision that would prove to be fateful. In this vibrant city, she crossed paths with another budding artist, Valerie Quant, who shared Keren’s passion for unconventional forms, proportions, materials, and meticulous attention to detail. Today, both Keren and Valerie proudly stand as co-founders of LOQ, an internationally recognized footwear brand with operations spanning four cities and a thriving online presence. With a bold vision to redefine classic designs for modern women, LOQ aims to unveil a new perspective on women’s shoes. Here’s an exclusive interview with Keren Longkumer …

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Recipe | Nagaland’s ‘Axone’ (Akhuni) Chutney

Published by Roots & Leisure

Today’s recipe is a special one that showcases one of the most popular Naga spices – ‘axone’ (pronounced aakhuni). This fermented soybean paste has a very strong and pungent smell that can fill an entire house with its unique aroma. It’s no wonder that young people from Nagaland always carry a packet of axone with them wherever they go, to try and recreate their very own ‘Naga kitchen’ – a home away from home. While the smell of axone may be intense for first-timers, it’s addictive once you get used to the taste. Nagas use this spice in a variety of dishes ranging from chutneys and pickles to various local dishes like smoked pork with axone, nula (snails) with axone, and a host of stew dishes. To get you started, let’s learn how to make the most popular Naga chutney. Get ready to explore the unique flavors of Nagaland! Fresh axone is made by boiling soybeans and draining the excess water. Then wrapped in banana leaves and left to ferment for 3-7 days over a …

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Recipe | Naga Style Crab Dish

Published by Vilme

During the rainy season, we get a lot crabs –  fresh from the small streams and river we have around us [in Nagaland] . So  today we would like to share a simple crab recipe. So next time you catch hold some fresh crabs, do try this out. Before you start the preparation, make sure you soak the crab (especially if you buy them alive) in hot boiling water for about 10 minutes. After this, wash them with cold water 2 to 3 times.  Ingredients you’ll need:  Fresh river crabs ( 15-20 crabs) 8 red dry chillies 4 tablespoons of fresh bamboo shoot juice 5 gloves of garlic 1 small ginger 1 handful of spring onion finely chopped 750 ml of water Salt to taste Directions to Cook: After the crabs are washed thoroughly, place them in a deep saucepan /wok. Put all the ingredients together and cook till all the water has been absorbed. Usually 30-35 minutes. Serve with rice, Naga style.

Meet Aunty Sinju and her Mouthwatering Local Snack

Published by Roots & Leisure

“About 10 years ago my daughter suggested that I open a small shop. So I started selling Sinju* and I am happy that I have many customers today. I’m known here by the name ‘Aunty Sinju’ *laughs* Editor’s note: Aunty Sinju sits at Pakai College entrance gate , and her Sinju is so popular that people come all the way from Dimapur (about 15Kms away) to buy the snack. *Sinju is a local snack, which is a mix of shredded cabbage, nokna leaves (water crest), meat , crispy (uncooked) wai wai noodles , papad, chilli sauce and the special sinju masala. It is the perfect afternoon snack on a cold rainy day!

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Meet Asibu – Maker of Glamorous Jewellery

Published by Roots & Leisure

Lately, we have been witnessing some pretty awesome jewellery designers coming up from every corner – especially from the vibrant state of Nagaland. And we’re very proud to showcase each and every one of them. One of the most recent one to join the growing band of upcoming jewellery entrepreneurs is Asibu Yhoshu Peseyie, an NIFT graduate. We came across her jewellery brand  ‘Asibu‘ and they are absolutely gorgeous! No wonder everyone’s talking about them. If you haven’t yet come across them , fret not. What else are we here for? : )   Asibu has worked as an Assistant Designer for Amritraj Bora Couture, fashion brand that has styled for the likes of Malaika Arora Khan and Madhu Sapre. She has also worked alongside the renowned fashion stylist Mahima Shukla as an Assistant Stylist. Her career has now taken the natural turn by launching her own jewellery brand, Asibu. And, we can’t have enough of it! Tell us a little more about ‘Asibu’ and the design mantra behind it? Asibu is a handcrafted home-based jewellery brand that …

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Na Lemtur – Nagaland’s Hottest Fashion Photographer Right Now

Published by Roots & Leisure

We chatted up Temsuna Lemtur (aka Na Lemtur) who is currently creating rifts in Dimapur, Nagaland with her fashion photography. Lemtur decided to gain a better insight into photography after leaving Delhi, where she worked as a freelancer for a while. Almost at the same time her younger brother Moanungsang Lemtur aka Shinobi (who we covered a short while ago) was finding a footing in the creative design arena. #ArtistSiblings for the win! Na Lemtur’s creative journey since then has taken her places and to newer heights. Here’s presenting the pretty and very talented, Na Lemtur. Why did you choose photography as a career option? Photography just happened to me and I went with the flow. There definitely wasn’t a “eureka” moment as such but my interest in photography developed alongside my growing interest in fashion. I began it as a hobby with a Yashica compact digital camera and I remember being fascinated by a photograph’s capacity to suggest my subjects’ personality and bring out the life within them for everyone to view. That’s how I …

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Turning Pebbles to Art by Iboli Zhimo

Published by Shweta Rao

Do you ever wonder about all the tales one would unravel if all the stones around us could start talking? Mother Nature has countless mysteries laid out around us. They’ve laid silently for a thousand years and more, and eventually us humans have forgotten to take notice of her. Except for a few artists among us – who take the time to pause, listen and create. Meet Iboli Zhimo who’s making random stones tell beautiful stories. Iboli is based out of the small town of Satakha under the Zunheboto district in Nagaland.  She works as a pebble artist for Regalia Entertainment in the state and is also pursuing a Masters degree in History. Zhimo fell in love with this unique art form because of its challenging nature. With sheer dedication and passion, Zhimo sets out to find the fitting pieces for her creations. And find she does. Take a look yourself. Also, you can buy her unique pebble arts on the R&L SHOP Elvis Etched In Stone Tree of Life Happy Stones – Music, Dance and Fun! Iboli Zhimo with …