How to Use Poppy Seeds

Poppy seeds are famous for many reasons but they are often overlooked in their culinary uses. Poppy seeds can be used in baking and cooking and can be had in several forms including whole and ground. Both "blue" (black) and white poppy seeds can be used for many things in the kitchen. According to the epicentre's Encyclopedia of Spices, poppy seeds used for culinary purposes do not have the alkaloids that make up the narcotic opium.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Poppy seed grinder or mortar and pestle

1. Blue poppy seeds are the ones most often used in baking. They can be thrown right into many recipes including breads, cakes and muffins, for example. Poppy seed bagels are quite common.

2. Sprinkle on homemade breads, cookies and cakes. They can be bought in their whole, dried form in many health food stores. Using them in their whole form is the easiest way to use them as they are tiny (about 1mm each) and difficult to grind. Poppy seed flour, however, can be used directly in pastry recipes.

3. Make a poppy seed paste. Using a specific poppy seed grinder is the easiest and quickest way to grind your poppy seeds but if you do not have one, use a mortar and pestle. To do this, grind a small handful at a time. Roasting them lightly before using a mortar and pestle can help the process. Once you have the finely ground poppy seed flour, you may slowly add water until it has a pastelike texture when stirred. You can also mix butter, milk or soymilk with this instead of water to give it a more flavorful, creamy texture. Poppy seed paste can be spread on toast or used in Thai or Indian curries.

4. Incorporate poppy seeds into everyday cooking. Whole poppy seeds can be sprinkled on salads, used in salad dressings and on pasta and vegetables. Sprinkling on fish or other meats may also be desirable. Their texture often gives a little something extra to many otherwise standard recipes. You can usually find a small container of poppy seeds in the spice aisle of your local grocer.

5. Store your poppy seeds, whether whole, roasted or ground in a dry, airtight container. Store the container in a cool dry place. If you have made a paste, refrigerate what you do not use. If you have incorporated any types of dairy product into your paste, try to use the refrigerated contents within a week.

References

• Description, preparation, storage and uses

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.

[noname1000]

on 7/8/2009 One thing I have to point out is that poppy seeds DO contain a small bit of opium alkaloids. They come from directly inside the opium poppy, and the only thing they could really do is wash them off...still, you're going to have trace amounts...but it would take several pounds to make anything that had a real noticeable effect.