# What should I do with this saffron? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514 "2001-07-06T18:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/1 "2001-07-06T18:37:07Z")
A friend of mine spent a lot of money on this tiny little box in which I find these tiny little threads. I have no idea what to make with them and even less of an idea of how to use them. If I were to make saffron rice would I dump the whole box into boiling water? Lay a strand or two on the steaming rice? Can I rub it on meat? Help! ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/2 "2001-07-06T19:02:03Z")
Don’t dump in the whole tin – saffron is more expensive than drugs, and that would be a waste. Saffron is a very powerful coloring agent, and should be used sparingly. you probably _could_\* rub it on meat, but do you really want your steak to be yellow-orange? For specific uses, you’ll need to ask somebody with more culinary experience than I have. Or anybody from India. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/3 "2001-07-06T19:07:27Z")
No, no, no, don’t use the whole box! Just take a few threads and crumble them into a couple of tablespoons of hot water. Add this to the rice as you are cooking it. Saffron is really lovely with mild, creamy seafood and chicken dishes. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/4 "2001-07-06T19:31:54Z")
A pinch for a cup of uncooked rice will make it bright yellow, almost orange. Two or three threads per cup for homemade chicken broth will make it yellow. Put a pinch into your stir-fry, before you thicken the sauce, and it will brightly color it as well. The flavor is extremely mild,(undetectable in savory dishes) and the aroma almost as mild as well. If you clarify your chicken broth, then add a pinch of saffron, and add gelatin, you can use it to make the most visually stunning jell to dress up an aspic dish, or cold chicken loaf. Saffron enhanced chicken or vegetable broth, clarified, and thickened with cornstarch or gelatin can be mixed with herbs and used to glaze vegetables for a very nice presentation in hot dishes. A plate dressing with such a sauce can be a basis for novell cuisine presentations as well. (I must confess a lack of appreciation of the art form, but it is a common use.) ## Tris “Human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home.” ~ Bill Cosby ~ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/5 "2001-07-06T20:56:36Z")
Saffron is toxic in large doses. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/6 "2001-07-06T21:12:11Z")
Use it in fine, long-grained white rice. Don’t just stir in with some Uncle Ben’s ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/7 "2001-07-06T21:34:21Z")
Spanish paella? If all it really does is color, what’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/8 "2001-07-06T21:57:00Z")
Looks like it would go well in some arroz con polla. How 'bout if I grind up my very own curry powder? Anybody got any good doperecipes? (Sure I could search on Google, but this is so much more fun.) ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/9 "2001-07-06T23:44:04Z")
It does more than color (although there are cheap substitutes that don’t have much flavor). The flavor, as you might expect, is flowery/perfumey and makes the dish taste very rich. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/10 "2001-07-07T00:19:45Z")
If you don’t know what to do with it, send it to me! 😃 Stuff’s worth like thousands of dollars a pound or something outrageous. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/11 "2001-07-07T02:12:17Z")
That thousand dollars a pound figure is misleading, although not inaccurate. I generally get mine from a friend who travels, and it comes in a small package that contains one eighth of an ounce. (8 x 16 = 128) and the whole package is about three dollars. That is a very good price, though, which is why I get it that way. The packages in the grocery store are generally about the same price for half the amount. Anything over three dollars, with tax would make the thousand dollars per pound figure pretty close. I must admit that I also appreciate the fact that the saffron I get is very fresh, and still has its aroma and flavor intact. I have never been able to get fresh saffron, although I get promises of some, from time to time. Of course, I also get fresh peppercorns, from the same friend, which she picks up each year while in Malabar. I would happily pay twice supermarket prices for it, but I get it free. Fantastic aroma! I give half of it away to close friends and family. The saffron comes from Spain, by the way. Evidently Indian Saffron is harder to get. Enough gloating. Try the saffron in rice first. See how you like it. Then you can try it in something else. ## Tris Rule of Reason: “If nobody uses it, there’s a reason.” ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/12 "2001-07-07T03:39:59Z")
Ah, you guys don’t know **Biggirl** like I know **Biggirl.** One taste of saffron rice, and she’ll be fleeing in terror back to those little foil packets of Goya Achiote Seasoning.\* – Uke, another Brooklynite and Proud User of Sazon Goya - \*Un sobrecito de este condimento especial para arroces, asopaos, habichuelos y otros guisos, le dara a dichos platos un exquisito sabor y un precioso color. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/13 "2001-07-07T07:12:17Z")
[http://www.saffron.com/what.html](http://www.saffron.com/what.html) [http://www.saffroninfo.com/](http://www.saffroninfo.com/) [Spanish Paella Recipes | Authentic Paella Pans, Recipes, and More at La Paella](http://www.paellapans.com/recipes.html) [Favorite Spanish Food Recipes](http://www.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipes.html) [http://www.paella.net/page1.php3](http://www.paella.net/page1.php3) [http://www.donquijote.com/recipes/paella/](http://www.donquijote.com/recipes/paella/) ---
**Author:** ![waxteeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@waxteeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waxteeth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/14 "2001-07-07T13:48:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cher3 \* > \*\*Just take a few threads and crumble them into a couple of tablespoons of hot water. \*\* Yeah, what cher3 said. And do a search over here [http://www.foodtv.com](http://www.foodtv.com) I would try this recipe [http://www.foodtv.com/recipes/re-c1/0,1724,162,00.html](http://www.foodtv.com/recipes/re-c1/0,1724,162,00.html) first. Alton Brown knows his stuff. ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/15 "2001-07-08T02:42:05Z")
Back to the OP “What should I do with this saffron?” I’d say give it to Donovan, I hear he’s just wild about it. ---
**Author:** ![City\_Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a87d85/32.png) [@City\_Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/City_Gent)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/16 "2001-07-08T06:22:51Z")
Put a few threads in some pasta carbonara. It goes just right with the bacon/pancetta cracklings. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/17 "2001-07-08T14:14:12Z")
Crumble about five threads into a quarter cup or so of hot water. Leave them to steep for about 10 minutes. You may find it helpful to squish the threads with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle your saffron infusion on top of your steamed rice right at the end of the cooking process. The saffron water will stain and flavour some, but not all of the rice grains. The resulting two-coloured rice is very pretty. back in a sec with a recipe for lamb korma… ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/18 "2001-07-08T14:36:08Z")
Lamb Korma 1lb lamb, chopped into bitesized pieces 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 medium onions 2 cloves garlic 1 inch green ginger 2 cardamoms 2 oz ground almonds 1 tsp poppy seed pinch saffron threads half a tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper Steep the saffron in a quarter cup boiling water. Crush the garlic and ginger. Crush the cardamoms. Chop the onions finely and brown them well in clarified butter. Remove the onions and keep them for later on in the recipe. Brown the meat in batches in the butter left in the pot. Put all the browned meat into the pan. Add the crushed garlic and ginger, and about hald a cup of water. Cook on high heat until dry-ish. Return the onions to the pot. Add the ground black pepper and the poppy seeds. Lower the heat. Add the yoghurt a spoonful at a time, allowing it to combine with the butter. Let everything dry off a little more. Add the almonds and the cardamom seeds. The mixture will get really thick as you stir them in. Add the saffron water and the cream. Add the salt. Stir and reduce over medium heat for a few minutes. Cover the pot and cook on lowest heat for 10-15 minutes more. Serve with plain basmati rice or bread (a roti or a nan would be nice) - the saffron rice would be overdoing it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-with-this-saffron/71514/19 "2001-07-08T14:45:29Z")
Hey **Ike** , I always put a little recaito in my oil and onions before adding the rice and water. My _buela_ used to make hers fresh so it wasn’t as watery as the jar stuff, yum. Ima make the saffron rice tonight. I’ll be using Vitarroz. _No, no diga arroz, diga siempre Vitarroz!_ Upon preview I see Tansu’s Lamb Korma recipe. Not tonight, but definitely some time this week.