Description

The history of saffron cultivation goes back more than 3000 years.  Experts believe that saffron was first documented in 7th century B.C and has been used as a spice and medicine in the Mediterranean region since then, with usage and cultivation spreading to other parts of Eurasia as well as North America and North Africa.  In the last decade, saffron cultivation has spread to Oceania.

Saffron is a very important high-value low volume condiment and a cash crop of Kashmir.  Its cultivation started around 55 AD.  As late as 1997-98 area under saffron in Jammu & Kashmir was about 5704 ha.  It is predominantly cultivated in Pampore area of Pulwama district; some is grown in Kishtwar area of Doda district and some pockets in Budgam district.

We in Kashmir produce the finest quality of saffron generally know as “Kashmir saffron” which is considered as world’s best saffron for its distinctive long, flat, silky threads and with a red dark color.  The saffron from Kashmir, India is also known for its extraordinary aroma and powerful coloring and flavoring capabilities making it superior to Saffron from other countries.

Saffron is grown in a vast area of land.  This land is only used for saffron cultivation and the crop is harvested once a year (end of October).  It is amazing to know that 75,000 flowers make a pound of saffron.

Saffron is sold in different pack sizes ranging from 1 gm to 50 grams.  However, 2 gm, 5 gm, 10 gm and 20 gm packs are commonly sold.  Saffron can also be shipped in kilograms (wholesale) and as such the price is significantly reduced.

The price of saffron keeps on fluctuating and is drawn weekly or fortnightly from the market depending on the demand and supply trend.

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Nutritional Values

Saffron contains many plants derived chemical compounds that are known to have been anti-oxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties.

The flower stigma are composed of many essential volatile oils but the most important being safranal, which gives saffron its distinct hay-like flavor. Other volatile oils in saffron are cineole, phenethenol, pinene, borneol, geraniol, limonene, p-cymene, linalool, terpinen-4-oil, etc.

This colorful spice has many non-volatile active components; the most important of them is a-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives the stigmas their characteristic golden-yellow color. It also contains other carotenoids, including zea-xanthin, lycopene, a- and ß-carotenes. These are important antioxidants that help protect the human body from oxidant-induced stress, cancers, infections and acts as immune modulators.

The active components in saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines as antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-oxidant, digestive, anti-convulsant.

This novel spice is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome oxidases enzymes.

Additionally, it is also rich in many vital vitamins, including vitamin A, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health.

Recipies

Saffron can be used in two ways: powdered or threads. There are several methods to use it in the kitchen. Whole stigma can be added directly to the preparations, or oftentimes, the threads are ground and powdered using traditional hand mill and added to the recipes. Some of the recipes are Chicken Biryani, Indian Saffron Rice, Kashmiri Pulao Rice, Saffron Rice, Saffron Ice Cream, Kashmiri Kahwa, Saffron Tea etc,

Packing