During this lockdown, creativity has morphed into many forms and as we all take to living more of our lives indoors, we are finding new ways to educate, expand and express ourselves. A big part of this for us has been making sure that we stay creatively connected to our friends in Nepal, as well as building on and sharing some of our favourite parts of Nepalese culture.
Like most places in the world, food is central to much of Nepalese culture and like most guests, there's nothing we love more than learning about and enjoying some local food. This is why we asked a friend of our's Archana, to introduce us to some of her home cooking and she responded with this delicious home recipe and cooking video for us to try and share.
Archana lives in Kathmandu and has worked in artisanal craft for years. She's long been a great friend of CHACCRA and was one of the first people we met when we started exploring craft in Nepal. She has since gone on to introduce us to some really inspiring artisans including Sita, the brilliant mind behind our Mana Candle.
Archana's Potato Chop Recipe
Ingredients
6 medium-size potatoes
1/2 pound of ground chicken
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 green chillis, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of ground garlic
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried coriander
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon of red chilli powder
1 cup of oil
1 cup of crust cornflakes or breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt, to taste
Method
Step one: Peel, chop, boil and mash the potatoes.
Step two: Season the ground meat with salt, half of the turmeric and cumin, and garlic.
Step three: Add the mashed potatoes, chopped onion, the rest of the turmeric and cumin, coriander powder and some salt to a bowl.
Step four: Wet your hand with water, take some of the mashed potato mix and make a small ball with a hole. Add a bit of ground chicken and cover it with more of the mashed potato and press to flatten.
Step five: Heat oil in a pan.
Step six: Dip flattened potato cakes in a bowl full of the beaten egg, then dip it in crushed cornflakes.
Step seven: Put flattened potato balls in oil and cook it until both sides are golden brown.
Step eight: Serve up together with dipping sauces of your choosing.
These past few months, we had the chance to reconnect with like-minded people and organisations and revisit conversations on sustainable practices in design and production. From being an active presence at design festivals to meeting with local nomad communities on the Tibetan Plateau, we’ve been on a quest to expand our views while preparing for a new season and a new collection.
With a production time of around three months, CHACCRA rugs are for people invested in each item's journey, and for those who look to experience the authenticity of adventure in Nepalese craft and design.
We have always admired the skills and passion of artisans and designers, therefore it is with absolute pleasure that we introduce jewellery brand WOODON to our community.
