Poppy milk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Poppy milk

Poppy milk with poppy pastries
Country of origin	Lithuania
Flavour	Sweet
Ingredients	Poppy seeds, water

Poppy milk (called aguonų pienas in Lithuanian) is a special traditional drink from Lithuania. It's often served during the Christmas Eve supper known as Kūčios. This special meal usually has 12 different dishes! Poppy milk is often enjoyed with kūčiukai, which are small baked pastries. It's also used in a dish called Kutia for Russian Christmas Eve feasts. People usually think of poppy milk as a sweet dessert drink.

How to Make Poppy Milk

Making poppy milk takes a little time, but it's quite simple.

• First, you need one or two glasses of poppy seeds.
• Soak the poppy seeds in hot water for about a day. You should change the water a few times. This helps the seeds become soft.
• Next, crush the soft poppy seeds. You can use a food processor or a mortar and pestle. Keep crushing until a white liquid starts to appear.
• Add some cold water, preferably water that has been boiled and then cooled down.
• Strain the poppy seeds to separate the liquid. Then, crush the seeds again.
• Repeat this process several times. This helps you get a strong poppy milk concentrate.
• Finally, mix the poppy milk concentrate with more cold, boiled water. The amount of water depends on how strong you want the flavor.
• To make it sweet, add some sugar or honey.

Other Uses for Poppy Milk

While poppy milk is a traditional Christmas drink, people use it for other things today.

• For Sleep: Some people suggest that poppy milk can help you sleep. There isn't a lot of information about poppy milk itself. However, studies on poppy seeds have shown some promising results for relaxation.
• As a Milk Substitute: Poppy milk can also be used instead of regular milk. Using poppy seeds as a milk alternative isn't a new idea. But it's not often included in studies about different milk options.

See also

In Spanish: Leche de amapolas para niños