Poppy seeds are an essential ingredient in many parts of Europe, as well in Bengali cuisine, and in Pakistani kopta, are derived from the dried seed pods of the poppy plant. The seeds themselves don’t contain opiates. However, the seed coats of unwashed or unprocessed seeds can contain opium alkaloids and codeine.
However, to minimize any problems, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency recommends that athletes refrain from eating foods containing poppy seeds several days prior to a competition. Military are not allowed to eat poppy seeds due to the false positive in drug tests.
It takes 48 hours after you have eaten that lemon poppy seed muffin to go through your system for a negative drug test. If the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds and it makes 12 muffins, you will be consuming about 3/4 teaspoon per muffin.
Sale of poppy seeds from Papaver simniferum is banned in Singapore because of the morphine content. It is classified as “prohibited goods” by the Central Narcotics Bureau.
It is also banned in Taiwan, mostly because the seeds could be used to grow opium poppies.
Since 2005, China has prohibited spice mixes made with poppy seeds.
Poppy seeds are also banned in Saudi Arabia for drug control reasons and there is severe punishment in the United Arab Emirates.
In reality, poppy seeds contain very low levels of opiates and although the drug opium is produced by “milking latex from the unripe fruits (seed pods) rather than the poppy seeds, all parts of the plant can contain opium alkaloids, especially morphine and codeine.
Egyptians list poppy as a sedative in a papyrus written in 1550 B.C.E. In Crete, poppy seeds mixed with milk and honey were used to calm crying babies.
Poppy seeds are rich in thiamin, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. They are also a good source of dietary fiber.
Eating poppy seeds can moderate your blood pressure as it contains an essential component, oleic acid, a type of fatty acid, monounsaturate Omega-9 fatty acid.
If you are concerned about eating too much, your limit is based on 1 tablespoon per 7 pounds of body weight. So if a person is 150 pounds, he should not eat more than 7 tablespoons of raw poppy seeds at a time. Considering that a recipe may call for no more than 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, you are safe to eat everything bagel or dessert.
Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray. In a medium bowl, mix and set aside:
3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Using a stand mixer bowl with paddle, beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-3/4 cups (12-1/4 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Add one at a time:
2 large eggs
Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, alternating with in 2 additions, scraping bowl down as needed:
1-1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
Give the batter a final stir by hand. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 25 to 30 minutes.
While the muffins are baking, heat in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Brush the warm syrup over the warm muffins.
I have fun making bagels, however you may need to order some ingredients online, like the high-gluten flour and barley malt syrup if you are not able to find it locally. King Arthur Flour is a good source.
Everything Bagels
Makes 8
(Bagel dough is much drier and stiffer than bread dough so do not double the recipe or try to knead the dough with your hands)
Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine and mix at the lowest speed until the dough looks scrappy, like shreds just beginning to come together, about 4 minutes. Increase speed to medium-low; continue mixing until dough is cohesive, smooth and stiff, 8 to 10 minutes::
4 cups (22 ounces) high-gluten flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon barley malt syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons instead or rapid-rice yeast
1-1/4 cups warm water (80 degrees)
Turn dough onto the counter; divide into 8 equal portions, about 4 ounces each. Roll pieces into smooth balls and cover the plastic wrap to rest for 5 minutes.
Form each dough ball into a rope 11 inches long by rolling it under your outstretched palms. Do not taper the ends. Shape rope into a circle, overlapping the ends of the rope about 1-1/2 inches. Pinch the overlapped area firmly together, dampening it slightly with water if ends won’t stick.
Place the ring of the dough around your hand at the base of your fingers and, with an overlay under your palm, roll the dough ring several times, applying pressure to seal the seam. Dough ring should be roughly the same thickness all around. Dust a rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal, place the dough rings on the sheet, cover tightly with plastic, and refrigerate overnight (12 to 18 hours).
About one hour before baking, remove the dough rings from the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour water into a large pot the depth of 3 inches and bring water to a boil.
Working four at a time, drop the dough into the boiling water, stirring and submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon, until very slightly puffed, 30 to 35 seconds. Remove the dough rings from the water and transfer them to a wire rack, bottom side down, to drain.
Dunk the dough rings into a mixture of 2 tablespoons each sesame and poppy seeds, and 1 tablespoon each caraway seeds, sea or kosher salt, dehydrated onion flakes, and dehydrated garlic flakes.
Transfer to parchment paper and bake until deep golden brown and crisp, about 14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Use tongs to transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.