Measured by weight, saffron is valued more than gold. It takes 75,000 blossoms to produce 1 pound of saffron, and each individual stigma needs to be picked by hand at the prime of its season. Add to the the intense aroma and flavour of saffron and it’s no surprise that it is often called the “king of spices.”
Saffron threads are the stigma of the Crocus sativus flower. Since there’s no machinery delicate enough to remove them, each and every single one of them needs to be picked by hand, making it the world’s most expensive spice.
Yet whenever I used saffron, I either dropped a pinch of the threads into a glass and covered them with hot water, or I added them directly to the pan, unaware that I’ve been missing out on its true potential. No more, because there’s a better way to coax out all of the flavour and colour of this delicate spice. Across the Levant, where the spice features heavily in culinary staples, locals swear by the method below.
History
Saffron has a long history of use dating back over 3,500 years. It was highly valued in ancient civilisations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where it was used not only as a spice but also as a dye, perfume, and medicine.
Health Benefits
It contains several compounds with potential health benefits, including crocin, crocetin, and satranal, which are antioxidants that may help protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation. Saffron is also believed to have mood-enhancing properties and has been traditionally used to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Ingredients
- 1 pinch of saffron (0.25g)
- 1 ice cube
Method
Add the saffron to a pestle and mortar and gently crush it into a fine powder (a bit of the ground saffron might get stuck in the porous texture of the mortar. I usually keep the mortar aside and then rinse it with the infused saffron water in the end).
Add the ice cube to a bowl or glass and sprinkle the ground saffron directly on top. Then leave the ice to melt at room temperature (around 1 hour) or for how much time you have available. Once melted, the water will have infused into a dark, vibrant red from the saffron and you can use it in dishes like this tahdig-inspired crispy saffron rice.
Storage: You can add any leftover saffron water to ice cube trays and freeze until needed
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How to Bloom Saffron
Ingredients
- 1 pinch of saffron (0.25g)
- 1 ice cube
Instructions
- Add the saffron to a pestle and mortar and gently crush it into a fine powder (a bit of the ground saffron might get stuck in the porous texture of the mortar. I usually keep the mortar aside and then rinse it with the infused saffron water in the end).
- Add the ice cube to a bowl or glass and sprinkle the ground saffron directly on top. Then leave the ice to melt at room temperature (around 1 hour) or for how much time you have available. Once melted, the water will have infused into a dark, vibrant red from the saffron and you can use it in dishes like this tahdig-inspired crispy saffron rice.
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