saffron of kashmir

saffron of kashmir

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus.

There are only two or three places in the whole world where saffron grows. Kashmir has the proud privilege

of being one of these places.After the gold saffron is the most expensive thing in the local market.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is the place where Saffron is predominately cultivated in India. In

fact Kashmir is considered to be one of the three (Iran, Spain and India) largest cultivating places

of Saffron all over the world.The flower of the saffron plant is purple in colour bearing orange, red,

trifled stigma, which when dried becomes the spice of commerce. One kg of dry saffron fetches around

Rs 1.80 lakh. It takes 250,000 stigmas to make just half a kilo of saffron.The use of saffron comes

down to us from antiquity; the spice was used by ancient Greeks, Indians, and Egyptian in both cooking

and medicine.It is expensive because as it is stigmas of the saffron flower and Each flower contains

only three stigmas,moreover these flowers are picked by hands.The saffron plant is very small and its

flower is the only part which is seen above the ground.it has been estimated that 75,000 of these

flowers are needed to produce just one pound of Saffron filaments.Nowdays saffron are being used in

different field such as,Food industry, Food and Beverages ,Medicinal and Pharmaceutical,Cooking,Cosmetics,

Perfumes and Dyes.Saffron has been used as spice and coloring agent for many centuries and has numerous

medicinal properties. It is by far one of the oldest herbs ever used for medicinal purposes in the

history of mankind and up to this date it is being used in some regions of the world such as India.

Saffron should be stored in an airtight container and kept away from moisture and bright light. Bright

light such as sunlight will bleach the color of saffron. That is why when the crocus flower blooms,

the flower has to be picked at dawn (Sahar) before the sun shines on it. Also do not expose your saffron

to the moisture. Do not open your jar of saffron near a boiling pot of water in the kitchen.