Most Expensive Spice In India: How saffron became The Most Expensive Spice In India! This question arises everywhere. Let’s know about it. The method of collecting cinnamon 2,500 years ago may seem like a fairy tale. At that time, there was a kind of ferocious bird called Cinnamon or Cinamolog.
This bird used to build a nest with pieces of cinnamon. There was no other way to get cinnamon except from the nest of the Cinamolog bird. Therefore, the bird was first baited with a large piece of meat to collect the cinnamon. The piece of meat was kept so large that if the bird climbed into the nest with it, the nest would collapse due to the weight. People used this opportunity to collect cinnamon.
However, according to a report, Arab spice traders invented this exaggerated story about cinnamon. The Cinnamomum is essentially a fictional bird that does not exist. Arab traders originally invented this story to keep European traders in the dark about the origin of the spice. So let’s know the real story.
Top 5 Delicious Breakfast Ideas: Easy-to-prepare Tasty Indian Recipes
For the rich Europeans, the use of spices in food was a symbol of nobility. Therefore, the price of spices was beyond the reach of the common people. After thousands of years of history, that spice is now an easily available product. However, saffron still retains its nobility in market prices. That is why this spice is known as ‘red gold’ around the world.
When was saffron considered the most elite spice discovered in the world?
In response to this question, the US-based exotic food and beverage magazine reported that The Most Expensive Spice In India, saffron, was first discovered in the Minoan civilization. This civilization developed in the Aegean islands of Greece during the Bronze Age in 1700 BC. It was there that saffron was first used. Around 1600 BC, the idea of saffron cultivation was found from the crocus flowers in the fresco ‘The Saffron Gatherers’ on the island of Santorini.
- Minoan aristocratic women wore a type of clothing dyed with saffron.
- The Romans also used saffron to scent their bath water.
- Again, evidence of the use of saffron dye has been found in prehistoric cave paintings in what is now Iraq, about 50,000 years ago.
- Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, bathed in saffron-infused milk before meeting her suitors.
- Egyptian noblewomen also used saffron in their beauty treatments, according to a report in Food & Wine.
- Again, John O’Connell writes in his book The Book of Spices: From Anise to Judori that medieval monks discovered that mixing egg whites with saffron created a yellow-tinged paste.
Dhaba Style Tadka Dal at home, Bengali Style Tadka Dal recipe
Why is saffron the most expensive spice in India?
Why is the price of saffron skyrocketing compared to any other spice? The answer to this question becomes easier once you know the production process of this spice. According to Iran’s official tourism website, saffron is made from the stigma of the crocus flower. Crocus flowers are harvested in the fall. The plant grows to a height of 8 to 12 inches. The flower has three parts. The first is the red stigma in the center of the crocus flower, which is used to make saffron. The second part is the stamen of the flower. And the third is the flower petals. The flower petals are used to dye fabrics.
Crocus flowers bloom for only a few days. These flowers have to be picked in the morning. The flower’s stigmas have to be collected very carefully with the help of the thumb and forefinger of the hand so that it does not break. Then the stigmas have to be dried in the sun. According to this Iranian official website, it takes 20 days to collect the stigmas from about 150,000 flowers to collect one kilogram of saffron. It takes about 370 to 470 hours to produce one kilogram of saffron.
According to the American magazine Food and Wine, one pound (453 grams) of saffron made from the corm alone, of these three parts of the crocus flower, sells for about 12 lakh 15 thousand 289 taka (10,000 US dollars). It takes a lot of skill to extract saffron from the flower. That is why saffron is so expensive. Now you say that How much is 1 gram of saffron?
Where is saffron grown?
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 90 percent of the world’s saffron is produced in Iran. The Khorasan region in northeastern Iran is famous for saffron production. Khorasan’s sunny weather and cool nights are good for cultivating high-quality saffron.
The Most Expensive Spice In India, Saffron, is also produced in Kashmir, India. After Iran, India is the largest saffron-producing country in the world. According to a report by Deutsche Welle, Pampore in the Indian state of Kashmir is known as the saffron city in the whole world. There, saffron crocus, or saffron, is a source of income for about 30,000 families. That tradition has been going on for many generations. However, saffron production has decreased there in the last few decades due to various reasons. According to a report, saffron is cultivated in a vast area in Afghanistan’s Herat province. Afghan saffron is exported to India, Europe, and the United States.
How to identify high-quality saffron?
The Most Expensive Spice In India, Saffron also has high and low qualities. The price is determined based on this quality. The way to identify real and high-quality saffron is by its taste and smell.
High-quality saffron is usually bright red with a slight orange-red tinge. However, it will not have discoloration or a brown color. Low-quality saffron may appear dull or have a light red color. High-quality saffron has a strong and distinctive floral scent.
Low-quality saffron has a light or musty smell. High-quality saffron will be dry. This is because moisture can destroy the flavor and aroma of saffron. Low-quality saffron will be moist or sticky. High-quality saffron will have a strong, honeyed, and slightly bitter taste. High-quality saffron will turn golden when mixed with hot water or milk.
