Poppy Seeds

The seeds of flowers of the Papaver genus. Known generally in the northern part of the Subcontinent as khaskhas, poppy seeds are sometimes, especially in Bangladesh and Bengal, ground to a paste to flavor a meat or vegetable dish (see Bangla Pea Shoots). (In Bengali, they are called posto, a pre-Sanskrit name, indicating that their use goes way back.) The seeds are white, unlike the black ones of European tradition.