Saffron is known as the King of Spices for good reason. Due to numerous health benefits, including its potential to boost mood, improve heart health, and aid in weight loss, saffron is a popular choice among consumers worldwide. Additionally, it has a taste and aroma like no other spice. It is true that it’s a bit expensive, but the benefits totally outweigh the cost.
Saffron goes well with most foods and drinks due to its mild taste and sweet aroma. There are numerous ways to incorporate this unique spice into your daily routine, from adding it to your tea or smoothies to using it in your cooking.
In this article, we'll explore 4 simple and quick ways to consume saffron and help you discover the best method for you. So, if you're looking to tap into the health benefits of saffron, read on to learn how to make the most of this valuable spice.
1 - Make a Cup of Saffron Tea
Saffron tea is a gourmet drink in some Asian and European countries, such as Iran, India, Spain, and Italy. It has a sweet aroma and taste, and is a perfect choice for tea lovers.
For making saffron tea, you simply need to:
Take a pinch of saffron(8-10 strands) Add boiled water Brew for 5 minutes You can consume the tea, and save the strands for another roundTips:
- You can add lemon, honey, or ginger, depending on which ones you like more.
- Saffron can be bought and consumed in both strands and spice forms. If you want to purchase saffron specifically for making Saffron Tea, it’s better to buy it in the form of strands and not spice. You can also use Saffron spice to make tea, but it might have less flavour and aroma.
- If you like, you can also add saffron strands or spice to other forms of tea(like black or green tea) and brew them together.
2 - Enjoy a Glass of Saffron Milk
If you are not much of a tea person and you prefer milk, you will enjoy this one. Saffron milk is a common sweet hot drink.
1 - Heat the milk in a saucepan or a microwave until it reaches a gentle boil
2 - Take 6-8 saffron strands(or equal amount of saffron powder) and add it to the milk
3 - Stir the mixture for a minute
4 - Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar, or honey if you want to keep it healthy
5 - Enjoy your cup of hot saffron milk!
3 - Add Saffron to your Food as a Spice
You can use powder saffron to add aroma, color and taste to your food. Adding saffron to your food adds a touch of yellow color to it. Traditionally, it is used in Iranian rice, Spanish Paella, and Zarzuela, but you can really use it in any dish, including chicken, fish, soups, stews, and baked goods.
In order to release the color and flavor of saffron, first soak a few strands of saffron(or equal amount of saffron powder) into water and stir them up with a teaspoon. Then, pour the liquid on top of your food. You will notice the improvement in the aroma and color of your food right away.
4 - Make Cold Drinks with Saffron Ice Cubes
Here is a fun way to make colorful and tasty ice cubes for your drinks. Add 2 to 3 strands of saffron to the water of each ice cube in the container, and put the container in the freezer and wait for the water to freeze.
You can add the cubes to your summer drinks such as lemonade, coconut water, piña colada, or smoothies.
Last Words…
In summary, saffron goes well with most foods and drinks. There are many other ways to consume saffron. It is sold in the form of pills for treating depression, and it is so common and popular in Iran that Persian people call saffron ice cream “Traditional Ice Cream”. If you know any other way for using saffron that you don’t see in this article, let us know!
About Colexify:
In Colexify we provide Collections of Specialty and Gourmet Food Products. Our team has years of experience in qualification and trade of Saffron between Europe and Asia. If you are looking for high-quality Saffron, whether your order is retail or bulk, we have you covered.