In Manipur, Seized 'Poppy' Turns Out To Be Cooking Ingredient

A packet containing a little over 800 grams of harmless poppy seeds seized by Manipur Police from Imphal post office turned out to be the viral topic of the day here on Monday, officials said.

With most officials in the dark about the culinary usage of poppy seeds, the issue soon turned serious with most of them linking it to illegal poppy cultivation in the hill areas of the ethnic strife-torn state.

The seeds were found neatly packed with dry fruits in a parcel addressed to an Assam Rifles official in Noney district, they said.

The address on the parcel said the package was sent from a person in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The parcel contained assorted dry fruits and poppy seeds. Since most people in the state do not know that the seeds are commonly used in Indian cuisine to enhance their taste, they linked it to the illegal poppy cultivation and the drug mafia," an official said, adding police are likely to confirm it after completing their investigation.

Known by various names across the country, poppy seeds, or khus khus, find a place in numerous Indian cuisines. While they have a peculiar nutty taste, they are highly recommended when you need to add a nice aroma to any cuisine, the official added.

While the poppy plant is also known to be the source of opium, the seeds that are extracted from the pods are completely harmless, the official said.

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