Saffron is the most expensive spice and has a lot of culinary and health benefits. So, for a buyer it is so important to be able to buy authentic, fresh and pure saffron. Because of the high price of saffron, counterfeit or low quality saffron could be found easily in the market, so at below we list some tips that help you choose the real, pure saffron:
- There are some other spices that can produce yellow color similar to saffron, but the flavor and taste is completely different. Safflower, Turmeric, Marigold blossoms and Annatto seeds have this ability and can be sold as fake saffron.
- Always try to buy dried whole stigma (pistils) instead of powdered saffron. Saffron threads can be crushed to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle. We do not recommend buying powdered saffron, as it is so frequently adulterated.
- Do not be fooled into thinking that saffron’s quality is tied to saffron’s price. In other words, saffron’s price is tied to how much saffron is harvested in a particular country and how many middlemen handle it before it reaches you. At present time the biggest producer of saffron is Iran, while the biggest distributers are other countries.
- Fresh saffron should feature bright crimson-red color all over it and in high quality saffron this is uniform. When it is rubbed between fingers, should release a very pleasant aroma and stain golden-yellow. Threads must be dry and brittle to the touch. Saffron threads bearing white streaks or light patches are considered low quality saffron and when light specks appear in its powdered form, it suggests adulteration.
- Most specialty food shops sell saffron, but if it has sat on the shelves for too long, it may have lost flavor, so if you want to buy saffron from local shops look for bright red color saffron. Dark red color ones may have been a little old. Bear in mind that good quality and fresh saffron has less than 1 year old and this can be more beneficial for you.
- Choose well-sealed containers and keep it in a cool, dark and dry place.
- If you see these features in saffron you should be careful, because probably it is fake saffron:
a) Long red threads: It means that the whole saffron thread has been tinted.
b) A very uniform red color: Again, the threads could have been dyed.
If you want to test saffron to see if it has artificial color or no, immerse a little thread of product in milk or warm water and if the color of water or milk changes immediately, then the saffron is just counterfeit. Real saffron must soak in milk or warm water for at least 10 to 15 minutes prior to release its red color and aroma.
Saffron has a distinct flavor that comes from chemical compounds in it such as Picrocrocin and Safranal. It also contains a natural carotenoid chemical compound, Crocin, which gives saffron its golden-yellow hue. These traits along with its medicinal properties make it a valuable ingredient in many cuisines worldwide. So another important subject about saffron is the method of using it for cooking or making drinks. If you do not choose a suitable method, you can’t extract all aroma and color of the saffron and actually you are wasting your money.
Normally, very little saffron is required for culinary purposes and the key is to distribute it evenly throughout the dish being prepared. You should take note that saffron needs moisture to release its flavor and color, so in our mind the best method to prepare saffron for consuming it, is as below:
How to prepare saffron for consumption?
For consuming saffron, at first it should be pulverized very well. For pulverizing it, usually it is used some small hand grinders (called saffron grinders). Put a little bit of saffron threads on the grinder and rub it with the handle very well. For making more pulverized saffron, you can put a little bit of sugar in the grinder together with the saffron, it will help grinding better and smoother. This step is so important because extract of saffron will be more when it is finer.
The next step is brewing saffron. In this step you should put some (amount you want to consume immediately) fined saffron resulted from the previous step in a glass and then pour some hot water (not boiling) on it (a quarter of the glass) and mix well, then cover the glass with lid. You should wait 20-30 minutes to let the saffron brew well and the extract and aroma of saffron releases by hot water.
Now the liquid saffron is ready to use and you can mix it with different types of foods, sweets, drinks or you can pour it on the foods to decorate them and give them an excellent aroma. Take note that liquid saffron should be kept in the fridge. It will last up to 7 days on the fridge, so prepare liquid saffron as much as you want to consume immediately.
Try to pulverize saffron as much as you consume in 3 weeks, because in this shape the saffron will lose its aroma. You can keep threads of saffron in a tight container in a dark, cool and dry place for years. Remember to keep it away from the light since light rays oxidizes the pigments in saffron and offsets its flavor.
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