To prepare a delicious dish, you need to have a few products, a bit of skill and, of course, fragrant spices. But what is better to choose and how to correctly choose a spice for a dish? So, saffron: what is it when it is used and how is this plant grown? I’d like to talk about all this now.
What it is?
The very concept of saffron has been heard by many, but hardly everyone has tried this seasoning. After all, this is the most expensive spice in the world! No wonder they say that saffron is the king of spices and the spice of kings. It is a genus of crocus flowers (saffron itself is the stigma of this plant), and the Middle East, Asia Minor and India consider it their homeland. It is worth saying that the seasoning itself gives the dishes a light golden color and incredible taste, which is simply impossible to overestimate. An interesting fact for many will be the fact that there have always been legends and stories about saffron. Homer and Hippocrates spoke of him, this spice was mentioned in the bible Song of Songs and Egyptian papyrus. Also, the collection of this plant was captured on various drawings, including on the walls of the Cretan Palace.
About growing
How to get saffron seasoning? Growing the crocus flowers themselves is not an easy task. The best place for their growth is the slopes of hills and mountains. When the flower ripens, workers enter the fields in order to collect the stigmas of this plant from morning to late evening. The high cost of this spice is due precisely to the fact that all this is exclusively manual work, which requires maximum effort and attention. It is not surprising, because in order to get only 1 kg of this spice, you need to grow about 70,000 crocus flowers. The cost can vary from 500 to 700 dollars per 1 kg of spice. The most expensive is the Greek saffron, followed by Iranian. This seasoning can be grown on the territory of our homeland, however, it will be a very expensive project.
Wide application
Where can saffron be used? The use of this seasoning in cooking is only a fraction of where it can still be useful. So, crocus saffron has long been used as an excellent natural dye. They extracted mainly yellow and orange paints from it, stained the most expensive outfits, as well as bedspreads. As for the present, mainly as a dye, saffron is used only in cooking, rarely in expensive hair dyes. So, saffron: what is it - figured out, it is necessary to say that this seasoning (and the flower itself) has been widely used at all times in medicine. Crocus saffron is useful for those who have vision problems. Decoctions from this plant perfectly strengthen memory and even restore brain cells. With all this, saffron is an excellent antidepressant that has a mild effect and is not addictive. For many centuries, the crocus flower has been guarding women's health, helping the genitourinary system, normalizing the female cycle. It is also an excellent medicine for men's health, in addition, it is an aphrodisiac. Saffron by its nature is an antiseptic, an excellent analgesic and restorative organism. A special oil from this seasoning - saffron - helps patients fight cancer cells. Useful properties also apply to cosmetology . Saffron perfectly heals various small cracks, helps to straighten wrinkles and cope with acne. Seasoning essential oil is also widely used in the production of expensive cosmetics, which is designed to rejuvenate the face of women. Saffron oil is also used in aromatherapy. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, sedative effects. Perhaps even treatment with the essential oil of this plant and from prolonged prolonged depression.
Moderation!
Having understood the concept of “saffron” (what it is and where this seasoning is used), it is also worth mentioning about its features. So, you need to use spice in small quantities, otherwise you can get not only poisoning, but also a nervous breakdown. Particularly careful should be people who suffer from hypertension. In this case, add saffron to the dishes in very small quantities. And for pregnant women, it is better to refuse this spice. It is important to say that saffron significantly enhances the effect of alcohol, namely, wine. In some of the most severe cases, excessive consumption of this spice can even lead to death, that is, to the death of a person.
About the choice
Despite its relevance in various fields, saffron seasoning is most widely used in cooking. However, it is not so easy to get this spice today, because there are many fakes, which are approximately not analogous to real saffron. It is best to purchase the dried stigmas of crocus, which are dark red or brown. Their size is also important: if the stigmas are quite large, the buyer should be very wary. This will mean that a little glycerin was added to the seasoning for volume.
About countries
In different countries saffron has a different purpose. So, it is worth saying that in Europe and North America this spice is mainly used in the confectionery industry for baking cakes, pastries, cookies, fudge, jelly, etc. In mysterious India, saffron is widely used for desserts and yoghurts. For eastern countries, this spice is simply indispensable during the preparation of meat, rice and vegetable dishes. Also in Europe, saffron is used in the preparation of expensive varieties of fish, giving them a special taste. It may seem interesting to many that this spice goes well with dairy products, greatly enhancing their taste, as well as helping their absorption. Well, the last, where saffron is also used, is the alcohol industry. There, this spice is designed to give various liquors and cocktails a beautiful shade and pleasant aroma.
Using
How to use a spice like saffron? The reviews of those who widely use it in cooking help to understand that it is unacceptable to mix it with other herbs. The number of crocus stigmas in cooking should be moderate, with this spice you can easily "go too far", and the food will turn out to be completely tasteless and even to some extent harmful to health. It is worth mentioning that saffron itself can be used not only in the form of stigmas, but also in the form of a yellow powder - this is a shredded version of it for convenience. It is also interesting that for the preparation of a powdery mixture, saffron is soaked in alcohol-containing mixtures or water, because it is easier to normalize the amount of seasoning.
A few important points
Buying a seasoning like saffron is necessary exclusively from a trusted seller, because there are a huge number of fakes. As for pricing, saffron can be attributed to an expensive product. Keep this spice in a sealed container. The temperature should be cool and the storage location should be dry. It is best to use the spice for a year after its purchase. If saffron is stored for longer, it loses its taste, and will not give the dishes the desired golden hue. An important fact is that it is better not to collect this seasoning yourself. After all, there are toxic types of saffron. It is very interesting and important that when preparing dishes that are seasoned with saffron, you should not use wooden spoons, because they well absorb the aroma and taste of this spice.
Meat and Saffron
What is it and where is this seasoning used, we have already figured out. Now it is worth saying that this spice is quite widely used in the vastness of our homeland. It is well suited for dishes where white meat is used, the spice gives a beautiful golden hue and crisp to the bird, as well as fish. At the same time, saffron flavored food remains low-calorie, almost dietary, but very, very tasty, and this is an important fact.
Cooking Application
How else can you use saffron seasoning? Recipes of dishes with its preparation can be as follows.
- Before cooking saffron, it is better to soak for 20-30 minutes in hot water or broth. Then add it to the dish in the required quantity.
- It is good to use saffron in dishes with rice. A classic of its use is risotto.
- This seasoning goes well with cereals, legumes, almonds, apples, cheese.
- In small amounts, saffron can be mixed with thyme, cinnamon and rosemary. However, you need to do this expertly, because saffron is the king of spices, other seasonings can only give a light flavor to the dish.
- This spice is widely distributed in oriental cuisine. It goes well with fish and seafood.
- Incredibly, there is also tea made from saffron. It is called “cashmere” and is prepared by brewing and insisting a pinch of this spice in boiled water (several glasses).
number
When using saffron, as mentioned above, it is necessary to correctly observe the proportions. After all, busting with this spice can lead not only to the spoiled taste of the dish, but sometimes also to some health problems. It is important to know when and how much to use this spice in the preparation of various dishes. So, in the pastry closely you need to add no more than 0.1 grams (at the time of mixing or immediately before baking). If another dish is being prepared, the maximum that you can take is four strands of saffron for 4 servings. If you translate this into grams, you get no more than 125 mg.