Questions tagged [saffron]

12 questions
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Saffron and coloration - is there a way to know why it gave the wrong color?

What would make saffron (or something) color pink, instead of the more usual yellows and oranges that saffron is known for? I had, a while ago, picked up a container of saffron from an ethnic store. On reflection, it didn't look like it was too…
Megha
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What good substitutes for saffron exist?

I am a big fan of paella, amongst other uses for saffron. However, it can be a very difficult and/or expensive spice to obtain. What good substitutes exist?
warren
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How to treat your saffron right?

Similar to this question, but not the same (by the way, I like Hobodave's answer). What's the correct way to treat saffron to get most of the flavor? I've seen the following methods: Let the stems soak in a cup of lukewarm water. Warm the stems in…
BaffledCook
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How much Saffron to use?

I'm a bit confused with how much saffron to use in a paella recipe. I've seen numerous recipes that state to use 1gram. However I have a 1gram jar and that seems like a lot of saffron to me. I've spotted some recipes that say to use 1/2 a teaspoon…
Fadzy
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How to make saffron really color my risotto?

So I've recently bought some saffron (stems, not ground), then tried to make some Risotto with it. I got my water boiling and added about 5 stems to it. I didn't really measure the water because I can just eyeball it, I was making about a cup and a…
Mig
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What is the correct temperature when extracting saffron flavour?

I have several recipes that call for saffron. Obviously, they all say to put the saffron in some water to extract the flavour so it spreads more evenly in the dish. However, there is no mention of the temperature of the water. Should this be boiling…
Carmi
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Iranian Sweet Dish consisting of Lamb Paste

I am trying to identify a dish I had a while ago while traveling in Iran. It was in Isfahan, and none of the languages I speak seemed particularly common with the locals, so I only got patchy details in addition to the actual experience of the…
TheChymera
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How can I keep saffron fresh for longer?

We don't use saffron that often. The last batch we got went stale. Is there anything I can do to preserve it for longer? (For example, our spice rack gets a lot of direct sunlight, is that bad?) How long can I expect it to last?
lofidevops
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Balancing out saffron taste, chlorine/latex taste

I am cooking a chickpea stew and clearly used too much Saffron (high chlorine taste). Does anyone know what I can use to balance out or mask the flavour?
tgunn
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Are Saffron Crocus petals edible?

Can the saffron crocus flower petals be used for food/drink coloring? Are they poisonous/edible? (With reference please.) I found a link, that states that the bulbs are edible, but there is nothing regarding the petals.
G. B.
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Do cinnamon, mint and saffron turn bitter?

I have noticed that when I use either of the three (cinnamon-mint-saffron) spices/herbs in savory dishes they tend to turn them bitter. With the saffron I know that you only need a pinch but even that pinch seems to be turning the food bitter…
Dina
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How many grams of Saffron for Rice?

A common way of buying saffron in Sweden is to buy it pre-ground in bags of 0.5 grams. Most saffron rice recipes use "threads" or "strands" which is pretty much useless for me. What's a good saffron/rice ratio, in grams/deciliter?