Regardless of the type or colour, the cooking uses of poppy seeds in a dish is same. Most of the commercially sold poppy seeds are lightly roasted beforehand for optimum flavour.

They can be used as whole seeds to add texture to the dish or you can make poppy paste for both thickness and adding flavour to a dish.It is a fantastic alternative to dishes that use nuts or dairy products for creaminess. The use of poppy seeds in Indian cooking is mostly in paste form. Here are few ideas on how to use poppy seeds for cooking:

1. Use as a topping for breads, cakes, pastry crusts, pancakes, waffle or other confectionery and baked dishes.
2. You can also add a nutty crunch to your fruits or salads, by sprinkling a teaspoon or two of poppy seeds in the dressing.
3. Adding a few tablespoon of poppy seeds to batter makes crunchy fritters.
4. Poppy seed paste is used to add creaminess and thickness to curries in Indian food.
5. You can make many Indian dishes such as this potatoes in poppy seeds.