All posts tagged: Naga Cuisine

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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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.

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Silkworms | The Eco-Friendly Naga Delicacy

Published by Sungdi

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 | Pork with Turmeric Flower

Published by Sungdi

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

Published by Sungdi

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

Published by Vilme

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

Published by Vilme

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

Published by Elvis Khevito Lee

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

Published by Roots & Leisure

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.