“Being the eldest daughter in my family, I learnt to cook early on”

Awule Lasuh, 34, begins her day at 5 am with a cup of tea. On her way to work, she stops by the women vendors on the streets of PWD colony, who have now become her acquaintances. After purchasing fresh green vegetables, she reaches Entrepreneurs Associates, a non-profit in Kohima, Nagaland, where Awule cooks lunch for over 30 employees. “I select from the variety available. I don’t really plan ahead, I like to choose my vegetables spontaneously,” she shares.

Initially from Thetsumi village of Phek district, Awule settled down in Kohima after getting married. With her children now old enough to go to school, she took on the job in 2020 to supplement the family income. Her lunches typically comprise rice, dal, vegetables, and a signature chutney. Fresh produce from the vendors—mustard leaves, ferns, cabbage, beans—absorb the creamy dal perfectly. “I didn’t receive any training, I believe it is a god-gifted talent,” says Awule.

Her diverse repertoire of chutneys—fermented soybean, soaked bean and chives salad with king chillies, dehydrated shrimp with potato, fermented fish with Michinga Patta (Sichuan leaves)—are recipes she learnt during her childhood. “Being the eldest daughter in my family, I learned to cook early on.”

Awule enjoys experimenting and being creative with the ingredients available. While each chutney is special in its own right, she recalls her crab chutney with fondness. “Crabs are hard to find and also expensive. But one time, I made a chutney out of them. After carefully roasting them, I removed their outer coverings and pounded them with Naga mirchi (king chilli), spring onions, and tomatoes. Everyone relished it.”

Meat is cooked in the office only weekly, on Fridays, and gets her full attention. She usually makes masala-infused beef curry, spicy dried pork, or fish curry. On hectic days, Awule surprises the staff with mid-morning snacks. A warm cup of Job’s tears tea, boiled sweet potatoes, or a pressure-cooked millet snack with milk tea.

By 4 pm daily, Awule has not only fed the staff but also cleaned the kitchen. She then heads home to cook dinner for her family.