Poppy Seeds

Seeds of the corn and opium poppy (khishkhash) have a slightly sweet, pleasant, and nutty taste. Roasting will increase their aroma. Besides their use in cooking, they are medicinally valuable. They are recommended as an aid to relaxation and sleep. The red petals of the plant have similar benefits (more details). In al-Warraq’s tenth-century cookbook, a recipe is given for curing chest pain and coughs. It is prepared by boiling poppy seeds, then straining them. The resulting liquid, mixed with some honey, is boiled down to syrup.