Saffron is used extensively in Persian cooking. It is mixed with a portion of cooked rice and added on top of the rice. There are also many desserts such as Shole-zard in which saffron is the star. Saffron is costly. It is more expensive in the US than in Iran, as it is grown in specific regions in Iran. But fortunately a couple of threads will go a long way both in terms of color and flavor. The inspiration of this post comes from a former roommate of mine, Meghan, who is very much into cooking. She has several cookbooks and used to make lots of meals following recipes. Once, we were talking about Persian meals and I was bragging about saffron! She complained that saffron is not very aromatic after all and is not worth the money you pay. I was surprised at first, but after I heard that she simly throws the threads in her meal, I realized . Since, I love saffron I thought this foodie friend should not be missing out on this fragrant ingredient and I immediately showed her how to use saffron:


First, we need to grind the saffron threads. Mortar and pestle is the mostly common used tool in Iran. A spice grinder can also be used. The reason a mortar and pestle would be better is that once saffron is ground it loses the fragrance sooner. So, it is better to grind a few threads at a time. You can add a piece of cubic sugar to make the grinding easier. Whatever too you use it must be completely dry. 

Grind the threads:

Dissolve the ground saffron in about two table spoons of hot water:

                                         

                                

The aroma bursts out immediately. Now, the saffron is ready and can be used according your recipe. Enjoy!

Posted in persian, saffron, spice