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Also known as Khashkhas, poppy seeds are oilseeds obtained from poppy (which is a flowering plant). They are used (both in the whole and ground forms) as an ingredient in several dishes.

Poppy seeds add a floral, earthy flavor and pleasant crunch to all sorts of dishes, from savory pastas to sweet, airy pastries.

Before you begin a recipe using poppy seeds, soak them in hot milk, water or oil from the recipe, or grind them before using. Soaking softens their tough outer coating, so that their unique flavoring compounds could be more easily released by baking temperatures. Grinding, or course, mechanically accomplishes the same process; just pulse a small amount at a time in a spice grinder.