Kasa kasa (poppy seeds)

Kasa kasa (கசகசா) is the Tamil name for poppy seeds, the tiny white seeds of Papaver somniferum. If you searched for what kasa kasa means in English: poppy seeds. They have no narcotic effect – the seeds are harvested after the plant has dried, and the active compounds stay in the straw, not the seed.

Where ours comes from

Our poppy seeds come from the Nilgiris, where they are grown in the higher reaches around Ooty and Gudalur and cleaned before packing. The seed is small, creamy white and dry – it should run freely and never clump.

How it is used in South Indian cooking

• Ground into payasam and kheer – soaked, then ground to a paste, it thickens festival payasam without any flour. That is its most important South Indian role.
• In kurma and kuzhambu – ground with coconut, it gives the gravy body and a faint nuttiness.
• In biryani and Chettinad masalas – a spoonful, roasted and ground, rounds off the spice blend.
• Roasted and sprinkled on bread, buns and sweets.

Storing it

Poppy seeds keep for months in an airtight jar away from light – they are dry and high in oil, so the enemy is damp and heat rather than time.

Buying and cooking

See pack sizes and prices, and the recipe for Kasa kasa payasam.