01/7Interesting facts about Saffron
Saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world is derived from the flower of Crocus, which grows only during the autumn season. In India, this rare flower grows in Pampore, a small town in Kashmir. Saffron is made from the stigma and styles of the flower, which is hand-picked and then dried and further manually processed to be used as a seasoning, colouring agent, and as a medicine too. For the uninitiated, it is considered one of the world’s most expensive spices because each saffron flower is hand-picked to collect just three stigmas per flower. Avneesh Chhabra, Director, USMS Saffron Company Inc, which is popularly known as the Baby brand saffron throws light on some of the lesser-known facts related to saffron. (Image: istock)
02/7Types of saffron
Avneesh says, “There are four types of saffron which include Pushal, Sargol, Super Negin, and Negin.” Pushal is the most inexpensive variety as it contains the yellow-orange base of the stigma. It has very little saffron and has lesser medicinal properties. He then explains Sargol, “It is the top of the stigma that contains some crumbs and is short and chubby section. It is red in colour and works best in cooking and is mostly used by restaurants and hotels for bulk usage.” He further informs, “Super Negin is the most valuable type of saffron as it consists of the main strand and is extremely fragrant.” The last variety is called Negin and is very similar to Super Negin, the only difference is that it still contains a little part of the yellow style. (Image: istock)
03/7How to check saffron adulteration at home?
“Authentic or unadulterated saffron strand never dissolves in water or any liquid. Also, the authentic one takes a few seconds to release its colour. While the adulterated saffron immediately dissolves and you don’t get to see the strand with a few seconds,” clears Avneesh, as he explains how to check saffron adulteration at home. (Image: istock)
04/7Is saffron really an expensive spice?
As per Avneesh, it’s the limited production and intensive manual labour processing of the spice which makes it comparatively expensive as compared to other spices. However, he feels that if we look at the quantity of consumption of saffron, it is not meant to be consumed in the same proportion as other spices on a day-to-day basis. Hence, popularizing it as the most expensive spice in terms of per kilogram price doesn’t sound feasible, he states. (Image: istock)
05/7Daily consumption limit of saffron
When used in cooking, saffron is safe with little to no known side effects or allergies in humans. Avneesh recommends that up to 1.5 grams of saffron per day is safe and if we go by the researchers, only 30 milligrams of saffron has been shown enough to gain health benefits. As per studies, the side effects of saffron occur when one consumes high doses of saffron of 5 grams or more. There is evidence that pregnant women should avoid saffron at high doses as it may cause miscarriage.
06/7The art of cooking saffron
Avneesh suggests, “In order to preserve the fragrance, saffron should not be cooked for long. It is best to soak the strands in warm water or milk for a few minutes and then add them to the dish along with the liquid when the dish is almost cooked.” “An even more intense colour can be obtained if the saffron threads are freshly ground”, he adds. (Image: istock)
07/7Saffron and storage
While demonstrating the latest 3D design of new saffron packaging at the only exclusive showroom at MGF Metropolis Mall Gurgaon, Avneesh suggests storing saffron in its box or container in a cool, dark place for up to six months for maximum flavour.” Saffron, like other herbs and spices, is sensitive to light; hence it is important to wrap the packet in foil to protect it further. He concludes, “In general saffron will never spoil, but it will lose increasingly more and more of its flavour with age.” (Image: istock)