Lentil and Poppy-Paste Börek
Kütahya-style folded pastries with a cooked green-lentil and onion filling. Plain poppy paste and sunflower oil form the thin dough layers.
The Turkish pantry
Poppy-Seed Paste
Poppy-seed paste adds a rich seed flavor to börek and other baked goods. Follow the recipe for mixing and layering.
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Haşhaş ezmesi is ground poppy seed made into a thick paste. This guide covers plain, unsweetened paste, without assuming a particular seed color or roasting level.
Types & forms
Plain paste
A thick, finely grainy paste. Color and flavor can vary between products.
Prepared filling
Sweetened fillings and spreads with added fat have different proportions; read their ingredient lists.
What to look for when buying
- Choose plain poppy-seed paste for a recipe that supplies its own oil, butter or seasoning.
- Check the package for added sugar, oil and other ingredients. Whole seeds are a different product.
Prepare & cook
- Stir before measuring if the product has separated, then mix with the fat listed in the recipe.
- Spread evenly over the dough. Keep enough mixture for later layers or the tops when the method directs you to reserve it.
Store it well
- Close the container and use a clean, dry utensil. Follow the product's storage and after-opening instructions.
Substitutions depend on the dish
Yellow and blue poppy-seed paste
Pastes from different seed types differ in color, oil content and typical use; blue-seed paste is darker. Use the type a recipe specifies.
Tahini
Made from sesame, with a different flavor and ingredient identity. It creates another pastry rather than the same poppy-layered börek.
Nutrition
Verified nutrition values for this exact product and prepared form are not available.
Cook with Poppy-Seed Paste