What are your cooking experiences outside Nagaland or North East?
The 'recipe for disaster' from the trailer, 'Axone.' (screengrab: BFI/YouTube)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 30
With the trailer of ‘Axone’ – the film based on a Naga’s favourite cuisine generating huge buzz across various social media platforms, especially in Nagaland, The Morung Express compiled few comments on social media as well as responses from readers regarding their experiences whilst cooking their exotic delicacies outside the state. Here are some experiences:
New Delhi:
“Ah! I remember using newspaper as extra additional cover along with the utensil lid to cut the smell though we knew it’s not hygienic. But that was never enough, always had a few residents passing our corridor covering their mouths and giving us the look!” – Therila.
“First flat in Lajpat Nagar! The land lady was sweet. If we were planning to cook axone, she would tell us to call her and inform so that she could shut all her doors and windows. She resided the floor below us. It seems she was accustomed to Axone from before but never got used to the smell.”
“Second flat: Danger! Landlord lived elsewhere...but the neighbour was quite a pesky old lady. She collected so many people outside our door once and harassed us. We never cooked axone or dry fish in that flat. The next stop in Safdarjung area was cool.”
"In another incident, when we were cooking at a friend’s house, a guy came sniffing and asked an acquaintance later– Your colony drain is open or what?" - Yimshen
South India
“During my student days in South India, and staying in rented accommodation, I remember this one incident where my immediate neighbour on one particular day knocked on my door. And it wasn’t to pop in for a hello and some tea. I was cooking our beloved bamboo shoot and roasting dried fish for the chutney. Well, now you can figure out the purpose behind the visit. Fortunately, she was quite understanding about the whole “stench.’ In fact, curiosity got the better of her and she ended up tasting the fare which I was preparing. Long story short, there were no more complaints and she became a frequent visitor during dinner time! - Imchala
Comments from The Naga Blog
“Brings back my Delhi memories. My friend who had recently returned after vacationing back home was cooking dried pork in Axone in the middle of the night only to be kicked out by his landlord. Came with his roommate, dressed only in their boxer shorts and vests, laden with all their belongings to our flat with the help of some scrawny auto driver. The landlord didn't even allow them to change their clothes, My roommate and I laughed our lungs out while that scrawny autowalla was like "Bhaiya samaan kahaa rakhna hai?" while my chased out friend stood there sweating profusely with his suitcase on his head... The power of Axone - Michael Rudy Stm
“Reminds me of my days in Delhi where I had this Punjabi lady neighbour whose kitchen was just opposite to my rented apartment's kitchen. Imagine the horror I used to go through every time I cook fermented home food but thankfully my landlady who was also a Punjabi was the sweetest person on earth.” Can't wait to watch all the reality shown in a movie - Florence Dora
Ingenious tactics adopted to cook 'exotic’ cuisines:
- Padded newspapers/clothes on top of the pot along with the lid
- Burning food items esp. dry fish or similar stuff, wrapped in aluminium foils
- Keeping wet clothes near the window and above the cooking pan to absorb the steam
- Cooking on terrace or in the dead of the night
- Marinating stuff like Akhuni in boiling water, before mixing
- Burned and pounded dry fish from home to be used as final seasoning
- Enough chutney and ready-to-eat stuff to last till your next holiday
- Inviting the pesky inquirer to taste the cooked food. Works wonder, many delicacies are ‘acquired taste’
- Rentals in a ‘friendly’ locality where many of your ‘cohorts’ reside or a friend residing in one.
- Buying a flat
- Fighting it out with ‘I don’t care attitude’...
Share your ‘food’ experiences and ideas with us via WhatsApp @8787846184 or inboxing us at Twitter or Facebook @morungexpress05
(Comments slightly edited for clarity)
