Poppy seeds have a slight nutty aroma and taste with an underlying sweet note. Add poppy seeds to dressings for noodles or rice or to garnish vegetables. Roasting the seeds will strengthen their flavor. In Western and Middle Eastern cooking, poppy seeds are mainly sprinkled on breads and cakes or crushed with honey or sugar to make pastry fillings. In Turkey they are made into desserts. In India the seeds are ground with other spices and used to thicken and flavor sauces for meat and fish.