Not just Indian food

"Shaam-e-Mehfil" - a musical evening

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0000

An evening full of fun starting with dinner from 5:30pm - 7:30pm, followed by live performance from Ayesha and Shafiq Rahman. They will be accompanied by Tabla, Dholak and Keyboard players.
Their collection includes old and new Bollywood songs, ghazals (Urdu poetry) & qawalis (devotional songs).
Seats are limited, please Call the restaurant at 301 610 0303 to make your reservation.
For details check the website at:
http://spicexing.com/special_event.php?record=NA==

Spice Facts

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Spices have been used in India for thousands of years not only for enhancing the taste of dishes but for their therapeutic value and also to counteract the negative residual physiological effects of foods on the human body.

KOKUM: Fruit of Garcinia Indica tree used mainly in the hot Southern states for its cooling properties & for alleviating skin allergies.

AJWAIN: Carom seeds or Bishop’s weed seeds are used for their volatile Thymol oils to aid in digestion & are used with starchy vegetables and lentils.

CHILLIES: Are used both ways either fresh or dry. Usage is more common in the hot climes to increase perspiration and thereby cool the body. They also have a medicinal value for easing joint inflammation and respiratory disorders.

NUTMEG & MACE: Nutmeg used sparingly is supposed to cure insomnia and is frequently mixed with warm milk and taken before sleeping. The covering of nutmeg (calyx) is Mace and is considered to ease rheumatism.

FENUGREEK: The leaves, the shoots and the seeds of this plant are used. Ground seeds with water are supposed to cure diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension. It is also given to lactating women for increased milk production.
It is used as a natural testosterone/muscle booster.

TURMERIC: This rhizome of the Curcuma Longa has a multitude of uses in addition to imparting the characteristic yellow in the “CURRY”. It has an excellent antiseptic and anti bacterial effect, often used to treat common cold, cuts and bruises. As a cosmetic it is applied directly on the skin and it reduces acne too. Its latest use is in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

ASAFOETIDA: This resin of a plant has a pungent sulfurous odor and is mainly used as a digestive. Also provides relief in asthma and bronchitis.

SAFFRON: Quite truly the King of spices at a whopping $11,000/lb for the best grade. It has the most volatile oils of any spice. Used very sparingly, it is supposed to have anticarcinogenic and antioxidant effects; although historically in India it has primarily been used as an aphrodisiac.

Another accolade

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Received another feather in the cap- this time from the Washington City Paper. We were honored as the Best Indian restaurant in Washington DC for 2009. I also felt a sense of pride that a restaurant I had started and subsequently left Heritage India was right on our heels at number 2. Having remained quite busy starting my new restaurant SpiceXing over the past few months I felt a lot of gratitude towards my entire team at Passage to India who have more than met the challenges.

An excerpt of the article follows:

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER’S 2009
BEST of D.C.

Best of D.C. » 2009 » Food & Drink »
Pick Best Indian

Best: Passage to India
Second-best: Heritage India

The owner and executive chef of the best Indian used to man the stove at the second-best, and it shows. The dal mahkani and palak makai that show up as sides at both establishments are luscious and rich with flavor. Saag gosht retains the flavor of the lamb; the vegetarian options are plentiful and varied. Order the butter chicken at either place, and you’ll be happy. In fact, the murgh mahkani at Heritage India, served in a clay crock over a small flame, bubbling and studded with crumbles of butter, narrowly edges out Passage to India’s, and some of their other dishes have the upper hand for taste as well. So why the No. 1 ranking to the Bethesda eatery? The creativity of the menu, which allows you to eat by region, is one reason—but the heart of it is occasional service problems at Heritage. While the management is typically gracious, several of the wait staff have a tendency to glower at guests, even turn up their noses in what appears to be disdain regarding unknown offenses diners are left to try and figure out. (Did I forget deodorant? Is it my cheap shoes?) While the food at Heritage has the edge, you can count on Passage to leave a good taste in your mouth.
—Carrie Allan

Back to Bethesda News

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:13:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I made any mention of Passage to India, my other restaurant - so caught up I have been in trying to jump start the business at SpiceXing. Sometimes it seems to me that I have an equally tough task like Obama trying to jump start the Economy, GM etc.
I was very happy to note that in spite of the tough times we made it to the Washingtonian's 100 Best, though we slipped in rankings and I have to set my goals to regain that back. An excerpt from the article follows:

Cuisine: Owner/chef Sudhir Seth’s careful approach to regional Indian cooking—the menu covers a wide swath of the subcontinent—translates into refined plates that are light and complex.
Mood: Intricately painted and carved doors hung as wall art reinforce the “passage” motif in the serene dining room.
Best for: A lingering night out; lunch or dinner that ventures far beyond tandoor and palak paneer.
Best dishes: Sev-murmura chaat, a pileup of puffed rice, tamarind, cilantro, and dates; masala-spiced mounds of lump crab; warqi pudina paratha, a mint-flecked whole-wheat flatbread; Parsi-style lamb stew with apricots and straw potatoes; curry of okra and onions with mango powder; shrimp stew with cloves, ginger, and cinnamon; the area’s best Indian pickle plate.
Insider tips: Servers may look formal, but engage them and they’ll help put together a meal so you avoid the trap of many first-timers: too many similar-tasting dishes.
Service: ••

We made it to the "Eat Cheap" Best Bargain Restaurants

Fri, 29 May 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Well, the Washingtonian has finally conferred on one of my restaurants the Eat Cheap title. SpiceXing in Rockville is mentioned in their June '09 edition. Once again the Chicken Wings have been singled out for praise. In the present economic times these Best Bargains are really worth it. While it is great to go to the 100 Best for special occasions, it is these bargain restaurants that most people are wont to patronize on a day to day basis.

excerpt below:
Spice Xing
100 Gibbs Street Rockville MD 20850, phone: 301 610 0303

Why go: Sudhir Seth, chef/owner of the more traditional Passage to India in Bethesda, opened this storefront in Rockville Town Center to highlight the European and East Asian influences in Indian cuisine: Flavors of Portugal, China, France, and Spain find their way into food that is as vibrant as the Technicolor décor.

What to get: Tandoori chicken wings with a citrus tang; dahi papri chaat, a combination of seasoned yogurt and firm chickpeas, with a crackling garnish of sev, fried chicpea noodles; malbari chicken, a rust-orange curry with coconut, coriander, and tomato; aloo do piaza, cumin-scented potatoes with charred onions; paneer makhani, mild tofu-like cubes of Indian cheese in a barely sweet butter-and-tomato sauce.

Best for: Budget dining with the feel of a four-star restaurant.

Insider tip: At happy hour, Monday through Friday 2.30 to 6.30, nine appetizers, such as tandoori wings, are $3 or $4 each.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Khurmi Naan

Sat, 16 May 2009 19:11:00 +0000

It seems that Tim Carmen of Washington City Paper was not wowed by the Khurmi Naan which otherwise has developed quite a few lovers at SpiceXing restaurant. But at the same time he has made a few valid points. Guess I will have to start using the AMUL cheese which is imported from India and while I was growing up that was the only processed cheese available. Also some other guests have also expressed a desire to have the crust thinner and crispier.

"On Tap" magazine mention

Mon, 04 May 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Spice Xing, the newest addition to the Rockville Town Center, has a reserved elegance about it. From the outside, it looks like a quaint and inviting restaurant. When you walk through the doors, your eyes experience an explosion of color. From a ceiling draped in a rainbow of gentle hues of yellow, green, blue and pink fabrics to an outstanding turquoise wall embellished with a plastic Hindu Wishing Tree and amber colored beads, the vibrant atmosphere at Spice Xing appeals to your senses. The two men responsible for Spice Xing are Harry Sanotra and Chef Sudhir Seth. Both have extensive experience in the food and hospitality business. Hailing from two very different regions of India (Sanotra from Kolkata, while Seth is from New Delhi), the menu is a melting pot of food and spice combinations that can only be found within India’s diverse cultures. Including a creative drink list with selections ranging from a Lychee Mojito to a Tamarind Margarita, the Spice Xing menu urges customers to step outside of their comfort zone of Chicken Tikka Masala and Samosas (which are on the menu.) Menu items typed in red signify dishes influenced by other cultures, like the Persian-inspired Salli Boti Jardaloo and Portuguese-style Balchao shrimp. This automatically makes the curious palate want to take a leap into an Indian history lesson that just so happens to be a plate of beautifully choreographed food and flavors. This reasonably priced restaurant , with main dishes ranging from $10.95 to $14.95, deserves a visit. Go ahead…allow yourself to be enamored by the sensory experience. You can thank me later. -- A. Lexington
Spice Xing: 100 Unit B Gibbs St., Rockville, MD; 301-610-0303;

Indian demo pictures

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:51:00 +0000

Enjoy the pictures of the Indian demo at SpiceXing, courtesy Cathy of the DC Salsa meetup group.

Three nods from the press

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:54:00 +0000

Wow! Wow! and Wow again!!
My restaurant SpiceXing got three reviews in a span of two days and the floodgates really opened. Now I with my entire team have to step up to the plate and deliver to the level of expectation that has been set for us.
Here is thanking everyone for the support and patronage.
For those who have not read the reviews, the links are posted below:

The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041400748.html

The Gazette
http://www.gazette.net/stories/04152009/enteres121019_32476.shtml

The Sentinel
http://www.thesentinel.com/mont/SpiceXing

Cooking Class

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Another cooking class - this time in the new restaurant at SpiceXing in Rockville MD. The event is organized by Jared and the details can be found on the link provided. People who wish to join in need to contact Jared through the link.

A Happy Chef at last

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:50:00 +0000

One of our long time guest and now a close friend of mine Pradeep Singh caught me in this rare smile moment. Guess the months of tension of opening the restaurant had dissipated. I am posting this picture to defy all who keep telling me to get rid of the Famous Frown and smile more often, including my wife.

NOW OPEN

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:31:00 +0000

Phew!!!
My second restaurant SpiceXing (Spice Crossing) is finally open after an interminable wait of 5 months. It has been a very frustrating experience to go thru the bureaucratic tape for the licences and endless permits. Having my partner Harry and my wife Sonali by my side helped ease a lot of doubts that had come acreeping during this long process. We are going through the same teething problems of any new operation, but enjoying it. Almost reminds me of when I had just become a father and was astonished at the amount of energy/patience that nature gives you when dealing with any challenge.

The dining hall has a high ceiling draped with billowing gold silk curtains and muted lighting. One of the walls has a sea glass jeweled Tree designed and made by our friend Kerbanoo from New York. The comfy armchair Lounge has huge canvas pictures of the Spices that are used in the Indian cuisine. There is a full bar next to the lounge where a whole slew of innovative Maritinis are served thanks to Harry's love for being creative with drinks. There is the ubiquitous flat screen in the bar (much over my objections) for the sports aficionados.

Happy New Year

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Wishing everybody a Happy New Year, though it is twelve days past, but I guess conveying best wishes is nice anytime. 2008 surely had been a tumultous year with war, terrorism, natural calamities, economy and recession plaguing the globe.
I have very fond memories of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai where I began my career in 1977 and learnt the trade from the Masters. It was a real tragedy to see a historic building like that go up in flames and the mindless mayhem that ensued.
I hope that the New Year will bring with it some semblance of peace, sensibility and we will forge ahead to more prosperity and happiness. A lot of change is coming in the political arena too with Obama's being elected as POTUS.
My second restaurant SpiceXing is still three weeks away, thanks to the permitting and licensing delays. Soon I will be able to post a few teaser-pictures of the interior and some snippets of the menu. The menu will feature Indian dishes influenced by foreign cultures, in addition to the contemporary specialties.

My second restaurant Spice X-ing

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:01:00 +0000

Thanks to all our guests at Passage to India whose support and continued patronage has encouraged me to open a second restaurant "SpiceXing" in the Rockville Town Square, Rockville, Maryland. I have with me in this project a very close friend, Harry Sanotra who brings 30 years of association with the hospitality industry. We are in the process of renovating the existing space and working on the menu. The offerings will be a selection of various kebabs, curries and lots of small tasting plates. This will be an upscale, family dining place with a full bar and will offer an exciting Executive Lunch Buffet. I will be posting more about this place as time goes by and I have more to share with everybody.

Some great Chinese !!

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:39:00 +0000

Last week was gorging on Chinese food at the Grace Garden restaurant in Fort Meade. Much has been written about the place on a lot of local food boards. Anything I might add will be superfluous, but the fact remains that this is THE BEST Chinese food I have had since 1986 when I lived in China for 3 months. Using the local, freshest ingredients the Chef is turning out some of the tastiest dishes. after having had the thin wonton skins in this country I was glad to dig into some real country style doughy wontons. The steamed sea bass just melted in the mouth and the scallions/ginger juliennes provided the perfect spice to the dish, in fact highlighting the flavor of the fish. We ordered way too much food for five people and as usual most of it landed on my plate. I was a happy diner. The highlite of the repast was the shell-on Salt & Pepper Shrimp. Unlike my companions who spent valuable time peeling the critters, I ate them shell and all (thanks to my time spent in China).
It is a bare bones place, BYOB and the neighborhood is not much. The best way is to order from the Chinese menu and not the dumbed down Americanized Chinese menu. I have learnt to go for more steamed items as it does not fill you up and one can taste a lot more items. Also try going in a large group for the same reason.

Cooking for a cause at Wagshal's

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Bill and Aaron Fuchs, a father and son team from WAGSHAL'S STORE on Mass. Ave. DC have organized a DC grill masters series for cooking demos, the proceeds of which go towards a noble cause. Click link below for a preview. I was honored to be a part of this charitable event.

http://www.wagshals.com/Press/PressRelease.asp?PressID=15&Title=D.C.%20GRILL%20MASTERS%20Series%20%202008

You can click the link below for the recipes from my Recipe Blog

http://passagetoindiarecipes.blogspot.com/

Another Demo - for TasteDC group

Thu, 22 May 2008 03:03:00 +0000

Another cooking demo, this time for TasteDC group. This was a fun group and I quite enjoyed cooking for them. We would be doing the four regions of India and we started with the Western region. I did the demo for the following items and Charlie Adler, President of TasteDC had brought his flat panel TV with camera to project the entire demo for better viewing. The food was later served to all with saffron rice and freshly baked Naan bread.
West Indian Cuisine
Salli Boti Jardaloo - Parsi style lamb stew with apricots and straw potatoes
Chutney Ni Murgi - Another Parsi delicacy: chicken cooked in a spicy cilantro sauce
Aloo Bhopli Mirchi -Bell peppers and potatoes with caramelized gram flour
Shreekhand - Saffron and mace flavored sweetened yogurt

Cooking demo for DC dining society

Thu, 22 May 2008 02:53:00 +0000

I had a great time doing cooking demos in the last two weeks. An excerpt from the DC dining society's page. Will post some photos at a later date.

"On Monday, May 12, at 6:30 PM we will meet at Passage To India at 4931 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda.
We are very happy to add Owner/Chef Sudhir Seth's wonderful food to our rotation. Passage to India is rated by Washingtonian Magazine as the best Indian restaurant in the area and the 23 best restaurant overall. Chef Seth explores the varied styles of cuisines from the sub-continent in an elegant setting and will help us to learn more about the complexities of the food. Standard price event.
Our cooking demo by Chef Seth will be:
Chicken Malai Kabab - chicken breasts marinated and char grilled
Panchphorner Parmal Shaak - baby gourds tempered with five seeds
Zeera Pulao - Basmati rice cooked with cumin flavor
Dal Kalonji - lentils with nigella seeds
Assorted breads - will show Naan (in tandoor), poories (fried) and chapati (cooked on griddle)
And our dinner will include the above plus a broad variety of dishes to enjoy from the restaurant's repertoire.

Visit to Peru

Thu, 22 May 2008 02:25:00 +0000

Some photos of the local market, food, Machu Pichu and other ruins.

Once again a long delay in posting, these seem inevitable. Everytime I promise myself but again

fall back due to a multitude of reasons.

Had an extremely enjoyable trip to PERU for ten days. It had been my dream to visit the Machu Pichu and learn more about them. Some great Peruvian food and a flight over the Nazca lines were other highlights of the trip. The ceviche was great as was the Pisco sour (local brandy, suagr, lime juice, angostura and eggwhites whisked to a froth) - real cooling on a hot day. The Incas though much behind the rest of the civilized world technologically, have left a perplexing legacy in stone built monuments. With rudimentary tools they created an empire with massive stone structures but perished against the Spanish conquistadors and guns. This trip left me wondering as to the meaning of Civilization as we percieve it in the present day world and context. These long gone societies lived much more close to nature and thrived with all other species in total harmony, unlike the present where war seems to be omnipresent.

Greek food

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:42:00 +0000

One of my friends (also a Chef) from 1977 who I had not met for 20 years stopped by over the weekend enroute to Australia and joined wife and I for some Greek food at the CAVA restaurant in MoCo. The place was packed and noisy, the service varied from attentive to rushed. Well as much as I liked the taste of the food the tapas concept gets me unsettled as there is no rhythm to the meal. Perhaps I am too old fashioned and want my three courses interspersed with liquor and time to talk. The hummus was not as good as last time, salad with goat cheese was good, taramasalata (fish roe) mediocre. The grilled lamb chops were perfectly cooked and the piece de resistance was roasted fish which made my evening. My only complaint is the excessive salt which has been there consistently on all of my visits. Our waiter was good and before I forget the Argentinian malbec went very well with the food and for Espresso aficianados - you must finish the evening with a dessert and order espresso. All in all an average evening finishing on a high note.
Cheers

We made it again---TOP 100 IN DC metro area

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:29:00 +0000

I would like to thank all our guests whose support and continued patronage has helped us in maintaining a spot in the Washingtonian's top 100 restaurants. We feature at #23 in their latest issue, an excerpt of which appears below.
Thanks again and wishing everybody a Very Happy and Healthy New Year. May peace reign !!!!

# 23 Passage to India
4931 Cordell Ave., Bethesda 301 656-3373

Cuisine: Elegant Indian that goes beyond the usual – chef/owner Sudhir Seth’s menu spans the subcontinent with regional entrees that remind us that Indian cuisine is as varied and complex as any.
Mood: The formal servers and the dining room decorated with portraits of rajahs and viceroys and carvings of Hindu gods conjure the Raj as portrayed in the film A Passage to India.
Best for: Adventurous groups willing to explore - and share – exotic flavors.
Best dishes: Sev-Murmura chaat, a bizarrely delicious salad of puffed rice and vermicelli with cilantro, dates and tamarind; lentil “pebbles” flavored with ginger and dates; lamb curry with apricots and straw potatoes; succulent tandoori chicken; kulcha, bread stuffed with lightly spiced onions; and a pickle platter to cut the heat and weight of the curries.
Insider tips: You can travel the subcontinent two ways here – by jumping around the menu choosing something from each region or with a more methodical exploration – say, of the Parsi specialties of western India. Don’t see your favorite dish? Just ask.
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Moderate.

Taste Of Bethesda-2007 Oct. 6th

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:22:00 +0000

Should have posted this a month ago but did not have any photos of the food-fest. Our restaurant participated in the Taste of Bethesda food-fest for the fifth time and for a change the weather held up nicely. We were serving our two most popular items

"Chicken Makhni-char broiled chicken in a buttery tomato sauce" and

"Vegetable Korma-a mix of 9 seasonal vegetables in an onion-tomato sauce with mace flavor".

Both items were served with Saffron Basmati Rice and Salad. Also we had the Mango Lassi-a mango and churned yogurt drink. Would like to know from our patrons/readers what would they like for the next years Taste.

KARVA CHAUTH "करवा चौथ" long live the Husband!

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 01:24:00 +0000

29th October, Monday was KARVA CHAUTH - a wife's devotion to her husband.

My wife Sonali applying a vermilion TIKA on my forehead after finishing the prayers and other rituals to the Moon God.

The ritual of touching feet is a kind of respect shown to elders and in some instances also means that the person touching the feet loves you so much that he/she is willing to share the burden of your sins.

All married women with their Thalis as they start the prayers for the long life of their husbands.

This is a festival for all the married women and is mostly celebrated in the North Indian states. Some overzealous Moms put their unmarried daughters through this very tough whole-day fasting ritual. Karva Chauth is celebrated according to the Hindu calendar and falls on the fourth day after full moon in the month of Kartik.

On this day women get up before sunrise bathe, pray, eat some sweets normally Ghevar (a vermicelli kind of thing with milk) and drink water - this is supposed to last them till almost 10.00pm when the moon rises and they offer their prayers for the long and healthy life of their husbands. Women dress in almost bridal like splendor usually in red and are bedecked with jewelry. Rituals involve story-telling, passing a tray around while singing hymns, lighting Lamps with clarified butter and finally offering water to the Moon God while praying for the longevity of their husbands.

In addition to all this the woman's day is spent in cooking dishes particular for this festival. Things like Aloo-Tamatar (potatoes & tomatoes), Poori (fried wholewheat bread), Kachories (pooris stuffed with spiced lentils), Arvi (taro roots), Kaddu Bhaji (pumpkin), Rice Kheer (rice pudding), Puas (wholewheat and jaggery fried dumplings), Dahiwadas (fried lentil dumplings in yogurt).

I personally find it a little bizarre since all widows, divorcees and unmarried women are excluded from this act and also find it to be a sexist kind of festival where the women go through all this for their spouse and the husband never does a thing like this in return for his wife. Maybe it was an accepted form of love when man was the sole bread earner and the protector of the family. But in today's world when women are in step with men on all fronts it seems a little silly.

I will be posting the recipes for a couple of the dishes served that day on this blog later.

Lemon Pickle

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:36:00 +0000

One of the Spice Nite attendees at Passage to India on Oct 7th had requested for the recipe of the Lemon Pickle that we make in the restaurant. It is one of my Mom's recipes and she used to make it without the oil but the salt quantity used to be twice. After two years the lemons would turn a dark brown and it was given to us as a digestive medication also. I still have almost a half pound of it that she brought for me in 1998 on her visit to US. It is a very dark and dry thing with the salt crystallized on top. Most of the Indian traditional recipes are all about a balance between the net effect of the food which is usually mentioned as either heat or cool causing. The Black Salt and Ajwain are a part of the digestive powder called CHURAN which is available in different forms, sometimes as a coating over dried fruits like Dates, Figs, Apples, Amla (Gooseberry) etc. Enough of that, on with the recipe:

Lemons (cut into 12 pieces and squeezed) 2 pounds
Oil (sesame or soybean- heat and allow to cool) 1 cup
Ajwain (Carom) seeds powdered 4 ounces
Cloves powdered 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns powdered 1 teaspoon
Black salt powder 2 teaspoons
Salt 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon

Mix all the ingredients and put them in a glass bottle with a tight fitting lid. Press down so that the top is covered with oil. Cover tightly and leave in the sun for 4-5 days. Open, mix well and press down so that the oil comes to the surface. Leave in sun light for another two days. The pickle will be ready in another 5-7 days. Keep in the frige where it should last for a couple of years. ALWAYS use a dry and clean spoon to take out any pickles.

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:16:00 +0000

The Spice-Nite dinner went off well and people could actually eat all the spicy food served. I eat a lot of spicy food but this group could definitely handle a lot more.

First Course with Chicken Kali Mirchi Kabab, Mirchi Pakora, Parsi Lamb Cutlets with chili-onion Kulcha

Second course had Fish in Raw Mango Curry, Lemon Rice, Garlic-Chili Kulcha,Shrimp Balchao, Aloo Chokha and Mussels in tamarind in the center.

Third course comprised of Mirchi Gosht, Red hot Pork Vindaloo, Green Chili Chicken, Spicy Mint Paratha, Mirchi Ka Salan, Green Tomato-Serrano Launji was served with steamed Basmati rice.

Steamed Rice flour dumplings stuffed with fresh coconut, cracked peppercorns, poppy seeds, jaggery and cardamom. Served with a coconut milk and burnt sugar sauce.