Indian saffron seasoning use in cooking. Medicinal properties, effect on the body

In the cuisine of many countries, it is deservedly called the "king of spices". Her exquisite aroma, unsurpassed taste and the ability to color dishes in very beautiful golden colors have gained immense popularity.

In the process of cooking, saffron is used both in whole form and in powdered form. In the latter case, it is often insisted in warm water before use.

In Europe and North America, the most vast scope uses of this spice - production confectionery. It is used as an additive to cakes, pastries, muffins, rum women, cookies, cakes, as well as to confectionery sauces and creams. This spice gives a unique taste to various sweet dishes - mousses, jellies, creams, fruit sauces, ice cream. In Indian cuisine, it is often added to the most different desserts and sweets - rice pudding (kheere), srikhand yoghurt drink, etc.

Cooks Eastern countries saffron is used in meat, chicken, rice and vegetable dishes. In Europe, they are flavored with dishes from especially valuable breeds of stew and boiled fish, including fish soups. in different national cuisines it serves as an excellent seasoning for meat, vegetable, rice and bean dishes.

Saffron wonderfully sets off the taste of dairy products, also helping to digest milk in the process of digestion.

The ability of saffron to give dishes a beautiful golden color and a toasty look is widely used in cooking dishes from white meat, birds and fish for a couple. Foods prepared in this way look like fried, being in fact dietary.

IN Food Industry in many countries it is used as a dye for butter and cheeses.

In production alcoholic beverages it is often used to flavor and color various liquors.

Saffron does not tolerate the presence of other spices, so it is not included in spice mixes. In dishes, it is almost always used on its own. Saffron is a very strong spice, so it is used in microscopic doses. Even a small excess can spoil the dish, making it bitter. Therefore, in cooking, unlike many other spices, it is used not in dry form, but in the form of aqueous or alcoholic solutions. Such solutions are prepared quite simply. Spice (several stigmas of flowers) 15 - 20 minutes before the time of its direct use is poured warm water(in the ratio of 1 g of spice to 120 ml of water), and then used as needed. Alcohol tincture (i.e., stigmas dissolved in alcohol) is diluted with water before use, after which dishes are introduced during their preparation.

The norms and methods of laying this spice differ depending on the type of dishes, culinary traditions and tastes.

The most common rules are: butter dough saffron solutions are introduced during kneading or before baking, based on 0.1 g per 1 - 1.5 kg of baked products. In the second and sweet dishes - for 4 - 5 minutes in the same proportion.

Saffron is used to add a touch of spice to dishes, as well as to strengthen the body.

This spice is not found in the wild. It is grown in countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, China, Japan, Italy, Spain, Azerbaijan and France. More than 80 percent of saffron is grown in Iran, but the seasoning grown in the Indian province of Kashmir is considered the most valuable.

Saffron is deservedly considered the king among spices. For example, in the East, its flowers served as a hallmark of a noble family. Chinese emperors used the coloring properties of saffron by wearing yellow-orange colored clothes and shoes.

Buddhists still consider this plant sacred, actively use it as a medicine, dye, incense and, of course, spice.

Saffron has an extremely rich composition. It owes its pleasant spicy aroma to saffron essential oil. This plant reduces sweating, relieves spasms and pain, strengthens and rejuvenates the body. Saffron is also known to help fight cancer cells.

Saffron is useful spice which combines a lot of medicinal properties

Saffron has a general strengthening effect on the body. It rejuvenates cells, normalizes the functioning of the genitourinary and nervous systems, cleanses the kidneys and improves blood composition. In addition, regular use of saffron helps to avoid vision loss in old age.

This seasoning is especially useful for women. It normalizes the menstrual cycle, treats diseases of the reproductive system, increases libido. Saffron is also used to enhance labor and cleansing. female body after childbirth.

This amazing spice restores brain cells, improves intellectual abilities. The use of saffron is recommended for atherosclerosis, coronary disease, angina and hypertension.

The seasoning has an excellent diuretic effect, due to which it is used in the treatment of cystitis, urethritis and urolithiasis. Saffron treats childhood diseases respiratory tract because it has an antiseptic and expectorant effect.

Externally, the plant is used to treat eye diseases, inflammation of the mammary glands, testicles and hemorrhoids, nail fungus. In addition, saffron improves appetite and improves the digestive process.

Harm and contraindications

Avoid excessive consumption of saffron so as not to harm your health

Saffron contains great amount active elements and, therefore, is a potent agent. That is why it should be used with caution. There are also a number of contraindications.

So, you can not use saffron:

• children under 3 years of age;
• suffering diabetes, hypertension and heart disease;
• pregnant and lactating women.

However, the rest need to know when to stop. The fact is that an overdose of saffron increases the risk of nervous strain and can even cause poisoning. It is undesirable to use dishes with the king of spices on the menu for a romantic dinner.

How to take saffron

How is this amazing spice used correctly?

1. Seasoning is widely used in cosmetology. To revitalize tired facial skin, prepare a mask with saffron, honey and sour cream (1 teaspoon of each component). Mix everything and apply on a cleansed face for half an hour. Wash off with warm water afterwards.
2. To prepare the infusion, take 0.5 liters of boiling water, add 15 dry strands of spice and brew in a teapot. In this case, first rinse the kettle with boiling water, then put the threads, pour a glass of boiling water over it, stir and heat over low heat for 5 minutes. Then add 2 more cups of water and after a while remove from heat so that the liquid does not boil. The tea will be ready when the saffron threads sink to the bottom. Drink it three times a day for a glass half an hour before meals. Threads can be brewed twice.
3. For bronchitis, take the following infusion: pour 2 teaspoons of saffron stigmas with a glass of boiling water, insist and take 2 tablespoons filtered three times a day. By the way, with urolithiasis take the same infusion, only 1 tablespoon.
4. For nephrolithiasis, the following recipe is suitable: melt 100 g of honey in a water bath, pour powder from 50 dried saffron threads, mix well and take 1 teaspoon in the morning and evening before meals.
5. For eye diseases, take 5 dried saffron threads, grind them into powder and mix with rose water. Wipe the eyes with the resulting mixture, then rinse them with clean water.
6. And finally, the legendary spice can be added to all sorts of dishes, especially pastries and desserts. But keep in mind that no more than 1 gram of saffron can be consumed per year.

Thus, buy royal seasoning at no large quantities and use wisely. It will lift your spirits and improve your health.

Saffron is not only a very beautiful and unusual flower, but also the most expensive seasoning in the world, which has an indescribable taste and aroma. In addition, the flower boasts a large number of useful properties, due to which it is used not only in cooking, but also in folk medicine.

Saffron (crocus) is a perennial corm plant belonging to the Iris family. The very first mention of it can be found as early as 3000 BC. In the wild, this flower grows in the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia and the Middle East.

Crocus corms are not large, up to 3 centimeters in diameter, have a rounded or slightly flattened shape. The presence of protective scales is characteristic. On the lower part there is a bundle of uriculate roots, the color of which depends on the specific species and variety.

Linear, straight leaves of rich green color grow directly from the ground, at the base, they are also like a corm, covered with scales.

Depending on the variety, saffron can bloom both in spring and autumn. Most often, the flowers are arranged singly, it is extremely rare to see that 2 or 3 flowers have grown from one corm.

The perianth of the crocus is made in the form of a long funnel, consisting of six bent lobes, which smoothly flow into a tube that acts as a peduncle. The stamens are attached to the pharynx of the perianth, the anthers of such a plant have a linear, upright shape. Also, each flower has three orange stigmas. Petals can be yellow, orange, purple or

The stigmas of saffron seed are used as raw materials for the well-known spice. Other types of this crop are not suitable for use for such purposes.

The fruit of a crocus is a small box, consisting of three lobes. Seeds are small, slightly angular.

Unfortunately, not all types of crocus are available. Many varieties of this plant are listed in the Red Book and are on the verge of extinction.

Useful properties of a flower

The beneficial properties of this plant have been known since ancient times. It was used as a main ingredient in the manufacture of ointments and other skin care products. Seasoning was also made from it and taken inside in the form of infusions, decoctions, etc.

Regular use of the flower has beneficial effect on many human organs and systems:

• improves the state of the nervous system;
• increased brain activity;
• the work of the digestive system is normalized;
• getting better genitourinary system among women;
• in men, erection increases;
• the heart muscle is strengthened, the work of the entire cardiovascular system also improves;
• to some extent, such a spice helps to stop the negative trend of loss of vision;
• acts as an aphrodisiac, significantly increasing sexual desire;
• improves metabolism;
• activates the regeneration of skin cells, making it healthier and younger.

It also has many other useful properties:

1. This spice acts as an effective natural antioxidant that removes toxins from the body. This remedy is especially popular with alcohol poisoning. It can be used to cleanse the kidneys, urinary and gallbladder;
2. Taking the flower inside you can get rid of muscle spasm;
3. Preparations prepared on the basis of this plant help to cope with depression and depression;
4. Saffron can act as an analgesic, with which you can get rid of various kinds pain;
5. Crocus essential oil is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases;
6. Modern scientists use this expensive spice as a means to help stop the growth of cancer cells;
7. With the help of such a flower, you can protect the body from the effects of carcinogens and other harmful substances.

Crocus is not only fragrant and piquant spice, but also a universal remedy for many diseases.

However, it is worth remembering that the use of a flower is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, children under 2 years old, as well as people suffering from diabetes and hypertension.

The use of saffron in traditional medicine

In pharmacies, you can also see preparations made on the basis of crocus. These include eye drops, which eliminate styes and treat catarrh, and strengthening tinctures.

In folk medicine, this spice is used more widely.

Traditional medicine is an adjunct in the treatment various diseases. Do not self-medicate, and if you feel unwell, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist.

The use of saffron in cooking

Saffron is called the "King of spices" or "Spice No. 1". This spice received such fame for its indescribable taste and aroma. Its production is a very complex and lengthy process, during which all operations are performed manually. From 1 hectare of plantings, you can get only 10 kilograms of finished material.

Saffron is well suited for vegetable, meat and fish dishes. It is also added to the composition of cheeses, sausages, oils, desserts and pastries.

Saffron has a rather sharp taste and aroma, so if you overdo it and add too many spices, you can not only spoil the dish, but also cause serious poisoning. Experts have calculated that the annual rate of consumption of saffron is 400 veins.

At home use adhere to the following rules:

1. 15-20 minutes before using 1 gram of spices pour half a glass of warm water or milk. In this case, its aroma is revealed much wider;
2. Saffron is added to hot dishes 3-5 minutes before cooking;
3. When preparing pastries, spices are kneaded into the dough immediately before baking. On average, 0.1 grams of spice is used per kilogram of dough;
4. In no case should the flower be combined with other spices.

Saffron crocus is a versatile spice that has many health benefits and incredible flavors. The only negative of this spice will be its price.

And how to collect saffron, see this short video:

Saffron is a spice known to mankind for over 4000 years. It is often called red gold, for its high value, which has not decreased since the Middle Ages.

The name of the spice comes from the Arabic word "za'faran", which means "yellow" in translation and indicates the widespread use of this spice as a dye. Today, saffron is used mainly only in cooking, and its price is on a par with the price of gold, because no more than 300 tons of it are produced annually worldwide.

General information about saffron seasoning

The first traces of the use of saffron were found in the composition of paints for rock art of the Neolithic period. In Mesopotamia, they began to use this spice for food, and the Persians made aromatic oils and perfumes with aphrodisiac properties based on saffron, and also woven saffron threads into fabrics for sacrifices.

Saffron has been widely used in medical purposes. So, for the treatment of wounds, it was used in the army of Alexander the Great. The Romans, in addition to being used as a medicine, were also used as a spice and dye for skin and fabrics.

Evidence of the high value of saffron in antiquity is its mention even in the Old Testament as incense, dye and an element of sacrifice. In the east, Buddhist monks used saffron to dye their clothes.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, interest in saffron almost disappeared, and was revived only during the Middle Ages. In Europe, spice was a sign of high position in society and great wealth. At the courts, clothes and shoes dyed with saffron were very fashionable. And Henry VIII even forbade his courtiers to use this dye to single-handedly stand out from their background.

Saffron flowers, better known as crocuses, were used in Bourbon heraldry. There is even a town in the English county of Essex named Safron in honor of the spice, which brought a lot of income to the state treasury.

spreading saffron

The Spaniards turned out to be the most “nimble” and were the first to grow crocus for the production of saffron for export. And today Valencia, the Balearic Islands and Andalusia are the owners of the largest plantations of this plant.

Also, the cultivation and production of saffron is widespread in Italy, France, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Greece, China, New Zealand, Japan, the USA and the Transcaucasian states. It has been noticed that in those countries where this spice is widely used for food, diseases of the heart and blood vessels are much less common.

It is noteworthy that, depending on the place of production, the taste qualities and properties of saffron. The most valuable and expensive Spanish saffron, as it has the richest aroma and rich taste.

But Indian and Greek saffron can boast of the longest shelf life. The spice, produced in Italy, is characterized by a pungent odor and a strong taste. The cheapest is saffron produced in Iran.

Saffron growing at home

The high cost of saffron is due to two main reasons:

• The laboriousness of cultivation.
• Incomparable taste, aroma and medicinal properties.

Saffron is the dry stigmas of the flowers of the purple crocus or sowing crocus (Crocus sativus). This plant blooms once a year for 2-3 days. Collect flowers on the first day of flowering at dawn and only by hand.

The weather should be dry and windless. The stigmas of the collected flowers are also plucked by hand and quickly dried under the sun, on fire or in special dryers. The quality of the spice directly depends on the speed of its collection and drying.

To obtain 1 kilogram of spice, the stigmas of hundreds of thousands of saffron flowers are needed. In the first year, a plantation of these flowers can yield no more than 5-6 kilograms per hectare, in the next - around 20 kilograms. At the same time, plantations need to be renewed every 3–4 years, since the life span of these plants is quite short. Saffron reproduces by dividing bulbs.

Saffron beneficial properties

The unique effect of saffron on the human body has been known since ancient times. Under its action, serotonin is produced in the body, better known as the “happiness hormone”.

This explains its ability to save from pain, melancholy and depression. Once upon a time, women of noble birth took saffron tincture to relieve childbirth. And, known to everyone, Cleopatra took baths with saffron to preserve youth and excellent skin.

According to Ayurveda, saffron is good for everyone. The spice has a tonic effect and improves the nutrition of the cells of the whole organism, and especially the blood, plasma and nerve cells. Due to its tonic, analgesic and restorative effects, saffron has found application in the treatment of more than 90 diseases.

It helps to normalize digestion, strengthen the organs of the respiratory system and sensory organs, increase potency, and normalize the menstrual cycle. It is also used for infertility, neuralgia, heart disease, convulsions, to cleanse the kidneys, liver and lymph, and even to improve complexion.

Modern medicine uses saffron and its beneficial features for the manufacture of various tinctures, tinctures and eye drops. Both antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties of crocus have been established. When using saffron powder with milk, memory improves and the growth of brain tissue is stimulated, and when mixed with honey, it helps to crush kidney stones.

All the beneficial properties of saffron are due to its rich composition. So spice stigmas contain thiamine, saffronol, cineol, pineol, pinene, glycosides, riboflavin, flavonoids, fixed oils, gum, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins. And yellow coloring is provided by carotenoids, crocin glycoside, lycopene and beta-carotene.

Saffron has also found its use in folk medicine. Lotions based on it help relieve headaches and relieve insomnia. The spice is able to reduce the feeling of hunger and get rid of hangover syndrome, however, taken together with alcohol contributes to the strongest intoxication.

It must be remembered that saffron is a rather potent remedy, an excess of which can lead to poisoning, and a few grams of fresh saffron can be fatal. Due to the strong tonic effect, its use in childhood and during pregnancy is contraindicated.

Appearance and selection of saffron

Saffron has the appearance of red-brown or dark red tangled threads with yellowish patches. One thread of it is able to give the dish a special exquisite aroma and a specific sweetish-sharp-bitter taste.

It is recommended to buy saffron in the form of threads, as they are more difficult to fake than powder. However, their "craftsmen" also learned to fake, selling thinly cut colored paper under the guise of stigmas. And under the guise of saffron powder, turmeric, crushed dried marigold flowers, or a powder of unknown origin are often sold. Once upon a time, cunning people were executed for such "tricks".

You should not buy too pale or non-aromatic spice, because this is a sign of long-term or improper storage, in which all useful properties have been lost.

Trying to prepare the stigma on your own is also not worth it. Very often, crocus sowing is confused with autumn colchicum, which is a poisonous plant.

Saffron useful properties and uses in cooking

Saffron gives dishes a golden color, a unique aroma and a delicious taste. spicy taste. Its use is most common in southern European and Middle Eastern countries. There it is added to dishes of rice, meat, seafood, fish and in the preparation of clear soups.

IN mediterranean cuisine spice is widely used in the preparation of various sauces and soups. All over the world, saffron is added to muffins, cookies, creams, cakes, pastries, jellies, mousses.

Add golden spice and soft drinks, Coffee and tea.

When using saffron, it must be taken into account that this spice is self-sufficient and does not combine well with the rest.

Recipes with saffron

Sausages stewed with saffron

Ingredients

• Saffron - 2 strands,
• sausage - 2 pcs.,
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons,
• onion - 100 g,
• garlic - 1 clove,
• potatoes - 2 pcs.,
• chicken broth - 200 ml,
• green peas - 50 g,
• salt - to taste,
• pepper - to taste.

Cooking:

Saffron is soaked in a spoonful of water. Sausages are cut, fried over low heat and laid out on a plate.

The onion is peeled, finely chopped and fried for 2-3 minutes, then peeled and chopped garlic is added to it and fried for another minute.

Potatoes are peeled, cut and added to fry with onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes. Broth, saffron infusion are added to the fried vegetables, brought to a boil and stewed until the potatoes are ready.

Add sausages, peas, salt and pepper and continue to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Halibut with saffron stew

Ingredients:

• Saffron - 1 thread,
• halibut fillet - 500 g,
• flour - 30 g,
• olive oil - 30 ml,
• Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.,
• onion - 1 pc.,
• garlic - 1 clove,
• tomato - 1 pc.,
• parsley - 1 teaspoon,
• salt and pepper - to taste.

Cooking:

Cut pre-washed vegetables. Saffron is soaked in a small amount of warm water.

Salt and pepper the halibut fillet, roll in flour and fry on both sides in olive oil. Then transfer to a saucepan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

At this time, fry onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes and parsley for 5 minutes. Add saffron with infusion to vegetables and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Vegetable stew salt, pepper and serve with halibut.

golden pie

Ingredients:

• Saffron - 4-5 strands,
• milk - 60–70 ml (used separately),
• butter - 1 teaspoon,
• flour - 130-140 g,
• sugar - 130-140 g (used separately),
• baking powder - 1 teaspoon,
• soda - 0.5 tsp,
• egg - 1 pc.,
• rose water - 2 teaspoons,
• vanilla - 1 teaspoon (used separately),
• water - 70 ml,
• chopped pistachios - 2-3 tsp.

Cooking:

In a small saucepan, pour saffron with 2 tablespoons of milk, bring to a boil and allow to cool. A large container is used for mixing flour, baking powder, soda and 100 g of sugar.

The remaining milk, rose water, egg, ½ tablespoon of vanilla are added to the milk with saffron, mixed thoroughly and poured into the flour mixture, stirring continuously.

A baking sheet is greased with oil and the resulting dough is poured onto it. Place in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Allow the baked pie to cool for 5 minutes.

At this time, dissolve the remaining sugar in water, boil it and add vanilla. With a wooden stick, make several recesses in the center of the pie, pour syrup and sprinkle with pistachios.

Curd dessert with saffron (Easter)

Ingredients:

• Saffron - 10 threads,
• homemade cottage cheese (fatty) - 2 kg,
• yolks - 10 pcs.,
• sugar - 200 g,
• butter - 300 g,
• sour cream (fatty) - 50 g,
• raisins - 200 g,
• candied fruits or dried fruits - 100 g,
• crushed almonds - 200 g,
• crushed unsalted pistachios - 100 g,
• cognac - 50 g.

Cooking:

Put the cottage cheese, placed in cheesecloth, in a colander placed over a deep container. They put oppression on top and “forget” for 10–12 hours.

Squeezed cottage cheese is rubbed through a sieve. Dried fruits and raisins are poured with cognac for 3 hours. The butter is whipped by adding sugar. When it turns white, without ceasing to stir, introduce yolks and sour cream. The resulting mass is mixed with grated cottage cheese, dried fruits and nuts are added, leaving a little for decoration. Saffron is thoroughly ground and added to the previously obtained mixture.

Easter is laid out on a dish covered with gauze and placed in the refrigerator. 2 hours before serving, take the dessert out of the refrigerator and decorate.

This cottage cheese dessert must be prepared 2-3 days before the holiday so that it has time to brew.

Saffron has long been deservedly called the "golden" spice, as it is one of the rarest and most expensive spices in the world. From ancient times, saffron was equal in price to gold, it was presented as a luxurious gift to royalty, tribute was paid with spice, and clothes dyed with saffron were considered a sign of unprecedented luxury. Modern archaeologists still find paintings made with saffron.

Saffron was sung in verses and legends, and even Hippocrates himself noted its beneficial properties. There is a belief that once upon a time there lived a beautiful young man named Saffron, who dared to anger the almighty gods with something, and they turned him into an equally beautiful flower. According to Buddhist tradition, saffron was brought to earth from heaven.

Like it or not, but saffron is really a very beautiful pale lilac flower, from which one of the most expensive spices in the world is made. The flowers themselves are interesting in that they do not have a stem, and they grow directly from the bulb. The spice is prepared from the stigmas of the flower, and since the flowering time of this almost unearthly creature is only three days, it is necessary to collect all the stigmas at this time. All work is carried out exclusively by hand, the collected flowers are laid out on the table and the stigmas are removed from them, again by hand. Then the stigmas are dried, and the seasoning is ready. In order to get one gram of spice, you need to collect and process about 150 flowers.. The work is painstaking, time-consuming, and therefore the price of saffron simply cannot be cheap. Unfortunately, saffron is very often counterfeited; you can buy a real spice only in a specialized store and not in the form of a powder, but in the form of fibers.

But there is one consolation - saffron is very economical. Just one gram of spice contains about four hundred flower stigmas, and to prepare one big dish only 10-15 pieces will be enough. Only two stigmas are enough to color two liters of water.

Saffron in medicine

Since ancient times, saffron has been highly valued in medicine due to high content carotenes, essential oils and vitamins. Over four thousand years of use, the effectiveness of the plant in the treatment of about 90 different diseases was discovered.

Plant stigmas are part of medicines against cough and whooping cough, are used to treat oncology, respiratory organs and the bladder. Saffron has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole, normalizes the work immune system, invigorates and improves the color of the skin.

It is impossible to imagine Tibetan medicine without saffron - the spice is considered the most valuable and irreplaceable component. No Tibetan incense is made without saffron. The substance serotonin contained in the plant is also called the hormone of joy in another way.

In folk medicine, saffron is used as an analgesic and antipyretic, as well as a diaphoretic and diuretic that improves metabolism.

Saffron in cooking

The spice itself has a strong intoxicating aroma and a bitter-spicy taste with a hint of honey. Saffron does not mix well with other spices., and its price is too high to clog the taste with anything else. You can’t add a lot of it, otherwise the dish will be very bitter, and in large quantities saffron can become a deadly poison. The consumption rate of saffron is no more than 1 gram per day; exceeding this rate is dangerous for health.

If it seemed to you that when adding a spice to a dish, it didn’t reveal its aroma enough and you want to add more, stop! The taste of the spice is revealed in about 12 hours, and ideally in a day. Yes, this is the essence of this exotic princess. If you overdo it a little with the dosage, any dish is obtained with a stable aroma of pharmaceutical grass.

To optimize rationing, saffron is dissolved in water or an alcohol-containing mixture - it is much easier to measure right amount seasonings. Prepare water or alcohol tincture so: 1 gram of flower stigmas or powder is poured with 120 milliliters of warm water or an alcohol-containing liquid. After 15-20 minutes, the mixture can be added to dishes. If saffron was poured with alcohol, the mixture should be further diluted with water.

Saffron has received the greatest application in the confectionery industry. It is often added to cakes, cookies and various pastries, and creams, jams and mousses get a unique light aroma and spicy taste. Spice is added to the dough during kneading, and to hot dishes 5 minutes before readiness.

The word saffron itself translates as "yellow", so it is often used as a natural food coloring- it gives the dishes a delicate golden color. The spice has found active use in the preparation of various alcoholic beverages - such as natural dye and fragrance.

In the East, saffron is an indispensable component for cooking meat dishes, various sauces and gravy. Also spice is added to rice, vegetable stews and dishes from valuable varieties of fish.

In Europe, saffron is used in almost all dishes. haute cuisine- paella, various soups and gourmet desserts, sea ​​delicacies And vegetarian dishes simply cannot do without this king spice.

And in conclusion, I would like to say that saffron is able to turn the simplest dishes into cooking masterpiece, but the main rule in its application is moderation and moderation again, otherwise instead of unique taste only bitterness will turn out, both in the literal and figurative sense of the word. Bon appetit!