Saffron - Red Gold Spice
Saffron - Red Gold Spice
Wondering just how much you can do with a tiny spice like saffron? Worry not, Chef Nimish Bhatia has conjured a wide set of recipes with flavours and fragrances that you will be dying to try at home
Saffron, zafran, za'afran, safran, sargol, kesar...no matter which language it is spoken in, saffron will always have pride of place and an undeniable novelty about it. And for good reason. The only ingredient which creates an oomph in a recipe by being a part of it is saffron. Just its name creates a high, followed by its fragrance, whiff, colour and the wondrous amalgamation of all these in the food, along with its health benefits.
When I was growing as a chef, I was very curious about this ingredient and used to love watching my senior chefs add saffron to dishes. They treated each strand with all the respect such a precious product deserves, the same respect you would show an empress. It was kept locked up and handled only by an accountable chef. Back in the day, too, saffron was the responsibility of the head khansama who would often know how many counts were in the box on any given day, and would bring it out to make something festive or on a special occasion.
The same thing I saw when I was growing up, my mother using saffron in halwas and pulaos. Saffron chai in winters would always begin with giving the saffron trader the challenge to ensure its highest quality and would end by adding every last drop of steeped saffron tea to their biryani or kheer.
Much like its name that has been derived from Persian zaparan, meaning gold strung, saffron, good quality that is, has always been a rare find. It grows in a dedicated area in Kashmir, needs skill to be harvested, and a small farm-size harvest often produces a small box of it.
I had an opportunity to visit South Kashmir's Pampore, and also Budgam in central Kashmir whilst I was there. And much like its name, I realised saffron lives up to its royal reputation of little is enough. But are these the only reasons saffron demands such a prime spot in the world of spices and essence. Partly.
Saffron's honour as a spice worth its weight in gold comes from its curative virtues. Those fragrant orange strands were much in demand for their anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-septic, anti-inflammatory properties, and the therapeutic effect against cardiovascular diseases. That aside, saffron was a prime cosmetic back in the day, and was often the key to a gold-like glowing complexion.
However, over the years, as saffron followed suit and entered the kitchen, it became the popular queen whose Midas touch could change any dish and make it gourmet. And the brilliant part, the touch worked on almost every dish, be it sweet, savoury, rice, meat and even shorbas.
Such was saffron's culinary versatility that it earned the moniker 'red gold' in the kitchen.
This was the effect of saffron, which has never seen a dip in its stock, even on the home front, where it maintained its role as a wellness spice and an essence.
As I understand, saffron originated and grew popular in Persia and then moved across the world to be used by Greek Gods, royal families, the rich and famous, and by so many of us today, for its musky aroma and anti-ageing qualities, too. It even carries a snob value given that it is the most expensive cooking ingredient and a symbol of love or a 'healing spice'.
When coming up with recipes exclusively for UpperCrust, I thought of the Kesar Jalebis or the Zaffrani Biryani instantly, but I have gone beyond these classics. In my years as a chef, I have tried to use a varied repertoire with culinary styles to create global gastronomic impressions and recipes. I have not only used saffron with its geographical cooking styles but in different versions in different recipes to bring you an assorted platter.
Like in the saffron sushi, it’s the colour and whiff that hits your first; in the cold kebab it’s the amalgamation with walnut and cream that sets it apart. In the veggie tower, the woody gucchi acts as a spice with floral saffron infusion while in the 'happy' kebab it becomes an integral part of the marination.
Similarly, the nalli nihari is a slow-cooked meat curry and saffron plays an important role in its flavours and colour.
So there are these recipes, the way you interpret them and its final outcome. As they say, cooking is what you pour into it, love and all the other ingredients... Of course, saffron being the most essential.
