According to legend, an arhat Indian Buddhist missionary by the name of Madhyântika (or Majjhantika) was sent to Kashmir in the 5th century BC. Upon his arrival he seemingly sowed the first Kashmiri saffron crop. From there, saffron use spread throughout the Indian subcontinent.
Who first used saffron?
Saffron was first documented in a 7th-century BC Assyrian botanical reference compiled under Ashurbanipal. Since then, documentation of saffron’s use over a span of 4,000 years in the treatment of some ninety illnesses has been uncovered.
Where was saffron first discovered?
It likely was first discovered in Bronze Age Greece, yet it now grows throughout Europe and Asia. Saffron is as old as time.
Which place is famous for saffron?
Saffron is grown commercially primarily in India, Spain and Iran. But the Kashmir variety is considered the best and it is the most expensive. Image caption, First cultivated in Greece, saffron has been grown in the Kashmir valley for hundreds of years.
Is saffron native to India?
Saffron is a native of Southern Europe and cultivated in Mediterranean countries, particularly in Spain, Austria, France, Greece, England, Turkey, Iran. In India, it is cultivated in Jammu & Kashmir and in Himachal Pradesh.
Which is best saffron in world?
Kashmiri saffron
While the myths arouse discord, there’s one item of consensus: Kashmiri saffron is the sweetest, most precious spice in the world. Its strands are thicker and more fragrant than its counterpart from Iran, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the world’s saffron production.
Is saffron red or yellow?
Saffron is a shade of yellow or orange, the colour of the tip of the saffron crocus thread, from which the spice saffron is derived. The hue of the spice saffron is primarily due to the carotenoid chemical crocin.
Why saffron is so costly?
Since such a small part of the flower is used, it takes 75,000 saffron flowers to make one pound of saffron spice. The small amount of saffron spice per plant, along with the fact that harvesting must be done manually, leads to saffron’s being majorly expensive.
What is the price of 1kg saffron in India?
Kesar, Pack Size: 1 Kg Pack, Rs 120000/kilogram M/S ARYA VARTA ENTERPRISES | ID: 18475114691.
Why is saffron famous?
Saffron has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Saffron has also been used as a fabric dye, particularly in China and India, and in perfumery. It is used for religious purposes in India.
Which city is known as saffron city of India?
It was known as Padampur in antiquity. It is famous for its saffron and known as the Saffron town of Kashmir. Pampore is one of the few places in the world where saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, grows. The area is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Srinagar city centre Lal Chowk.
Who is the biggest producer of saffron?
Iran
Iran is the largest producer of Saffron in the world and has over 90% Saffron production worldwide. Khorasan Razavi province and Gonabad region are part of central Iranian plateau with arid and semiarid climate.
Which state is largest producer of saffron?
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India where saffron is produced.
Why is saffron called red gold?
The process of cultivation of the Crocus is tedious and meticulous. This explains why saffron spice came to be so precious as to be called the red gold. Saffron is largely cultivated and harvested by hand.
Which state is the largest producer of saffron in India?
Saffron production has long been restricted to a limited geographical area in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Pampore region, in India, commonly known as Saffron bowl of Kashmir, is the main contributor to saffron production, followed by Budgam, Srinagar, and Kishtiwar districts.
Why Kashmiri saffron is best?
Why is Kashmiri Saffron best? Kashmiri Saffron is considered to be of the highest quality because of the high amount of crocin in it. Crocin gives colour and medicinal properties to saffron. The amount of crocin in Kashmir’s saffron is 8.72 per cent, while the same amount in Iran’s saffron is 6.82 per cent.
Which is the purest saffron?
Pure Kashmiri Saffron at ABK. This product has only the longer strands of Saffron and is warranted to be a pure and natural product without any adulteration or presence of any foreign matter.
Which country makes the best saffron?
Recently, the international institute of food taste and quality measurement has announced Afghanistan’s saffron as the best saffron in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Which is the most expensive saffron?
Saffron can cost $3,000 a kilogram, making it the most expensive spice in the world. But in Kashmir, the only place in India where saffron can grow, the valuable spice is under threat.
Is turmeric a saffron?
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), also known as Indian saffron, is a member of the ginger family. It colors food golden yellow but has a different flavor from saffron. Turmeric is used to stretch powdered saffron by unscrupulous retailers.
How is saffron purity tested?
Appearance – Saffron threads are trumpet-shaped. If a thread does not bulge at one end, it’s a fake. If you rub real saffron between your fingers, your skin will turn yellow/orange. Taste – While saffron smells sweet, it tastes slightly bitter, not sweet.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.