Poppy Seed

Indian cooks use only the white seeds of a white variety of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), rather than the more familiar slate-colored seeds sprinkled on bagels. White poppy seeds have a creamy flavor accented by toasting. Alas, they don’t have any of the narcotic properties of the juices from unripe seedpods. parsis use khaskhas in thickening and enriching sauces or gravies. Stirred into melted and thickened jaggery, khaskhas makes a really interesting chewy candy, wonderful for children but disastrous for fillings and other dental fittings. Buy only white seeds for use in Indian cooking. Look for them at Indian markets. They smell stale when stored too long, so buy only enough to ensure a short-term supply.