In the Middle Ages, saffron was not for nothing valued more than gold - this spice was used not only to give dishes a unique taste and aroma, but also for medicinal purposes. Today, this product is still used in cooking, because with it food becomes much more useful, beautiful and tasty.
Instructions
Step 1
Saffron is a dried crocus stigma that is harvested by hand only for a few months a year while this plant is in bloom. That is why the cost of 1 kg of such a spice today can reach several thousand dollars. On store shelves, it can be found in the form of thin dried threads of a bright burgundy color or a burgundy-orange powder.
Step 2
Saffron can be added to almost all dishes, but it is quite capricious and does not go well with other spices. Since saffron itself has a unique and pronounced aroma and a specific bitter taste, it simply interrupts other spices.
Step 3
It is believed that such a product was first used in the East, so it can often be found in recipes for Chinese, Indian, and Iranian cuisine. A little later, they began to use it in Mediterranean and even European cuisines. That is why today this spice is added to a wide variety of dishes.
Step 4
Saffron goes well with rice, so it is often added to pilaf and other dishes based on this product. This spice gives the grains a very beautiful golden color and a stunning aroma to the dish. By the way, such national Spanish dishes as Milanese risotto or Valencian paella are also cooked with saffron.
Step 5
Such a spice is often added to meat or fish dishes - the aroma and taste of saffron goes well with these products, giving them a beautiful shade. Usually it is put when stewing or baking in the oven. Saffron goes well with chicken, beef and lamb.
Step 6
In the East and France, saffron is added to vegetable, fish or milk soups to give them a golden hue. For example, the classic Marseilles ear cannot do without this spice. Well, in Chinese cuisine, saffron is often used to prepare a national dish - noodles.
Step 7
During the preparation of the first and second courses, saffron is added only at the very end - about 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking. During this time, he just manages to give the dish its taste, aroma and color. By the way, by this feature, you can easily determine the authenticity of such a spice, for which turmeric is often given out. If the saffron stains the broth right away, the product is tampered with. Real saffron gives off color slowly, over 10-15 minutes.
Step 8
This spice is often used in confectionery. Usually buns, baked goods and sweet rolls are made with saffron. In Sweden, for example, Christmas buns are seldom complete without this spice. But you need to add it when making baked goods at the very beginning - even when kneading the dough, so that it turns out to be a beautiful golden color. As in the case of the first and second courses, small quantities of saffron are put into baked goods - 3-4 strings of this spice are enough for 1 kg of dough.
