Saffron, The Costliest Spice of the World

by Mir Saeid Digital Marketing Consultant

Being the costliest spice in the world, saffron is a precious ingredient. It is an important part of the world cuisine and many dishes around the world are incomplete without a hint of saffron added to them. It doesn’t just impart a rich taste but also adds beautiful yellowish hues. An exotic spice, just a gram of saffron can cost as much as Rs. 600 to 700. You can buy authentic quality saffron online from stores like that of Kashmirica.

There are so many legendary tales that surround this spice and yet, it is still unknown to many. In this article, we share with you everything that you need to know about saffron.

What exactly is saffron?

Saffron threads are nothing but the stigma of a flower called crocus sativus, also known as the ‘saffron crocus’. These flowers are purple colored and bear these vibrant red-colored stigma that later on become saffron. The saffron flowers are first harvested by hands and the stigmas are handpicked too. After getting handpicked, the saffron strands are dried out.

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History of Saffron:

The use of saffron can be dated back to as early as 3,000 years ago across a multitude of countries and cultures. It is believed that this spice originated in Iran while some also suggest that it originated in Greece. Its place of origin is, to date, not exactly known. Today, this spice grows in India, Iran, Greece as well as Morocco. You can now also buy saffron online that has cultivated in these places. Kashmiri saffron from India is usually preferred owing to its quality.

- Why is Saffron Expensive?

The etymology of the word ‘saffron’ can be credited to various languages of the world including Latin, French, Arabic and Persian.

How to use saffron:

Saffron can be added to sweet as well as savory dishes. It makes a great addition to rice-based dishes and Indian biryani is basically incomplete without it.

To use it, take a few strands of saffron and soak them in a little milk or water. Let it sit for a few minutes. After some time, add this to your recipe. Just a few strands of saffron are enough to spruce up your dish.

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What makes saffron so expensive:

A lot of people wonder what it is that makes saffron so expensive and whether it is worth its price.

Well, it’s definitely worth its price! It is priced so high because real saffron is actually quite rare. Each saffron flower contains only about 3 strands of saffron. Because of this, it takes about 150 saffron flowers to make just one gram of saffron! You also won’t see these flowers blooming throughout the year. They bloom only for a few weeks in an entire year. The flowers need to be harvested with great care.

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The taste and smell of saffron:

It has a very subtle taste which can be described as sweet and luxurious. Even though subtle, saffron can take a dish from average to amazing within just minutes! Its aroma can be described as if honey and hay have been mixed together.

Hope this article cleared your doubts on saffron. You can buy the most supreme quality saffron online from Kashmirica.