Nitra Kitchen
How to Use and Store Saffron in Your Kitchen
Published Updated 5 min read
To use saffron, crush 15 to 20 threads and soak them in 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm milk or water for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the liquid and threads near the end of cooking. Store saffron in an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dark, dry cupboard, away from the stove.
Saffron is the dried red stigma of the saffron crocus flower. Each flower gives only three threads, which is why it is sold by the gram. A little goes a long way: used well, a single gram flavours dozens of dishes. Used badly, it can taste medicinal or vanish into the background. This guide covers how much to use, how to bring out its colour and aroma, and how to keep it in good condition.
What saffron adds to a dish
Saffron brings three things: a golden-orange colour, a honeyed, hay-like aroma, and a gentle bitterness that balances sweet and rich dishes. In Indian cooking it is used in biryani and pulao, kheer and rice puddings, shrikhand, kulfi and mithai, kesar milk, kahwa and sharbat. In Gulf kitchens it also goes into Arabic coffee, desserts and rice dishes.
How much saffron to use
One gram of saffron holds roughly 400 to 500 threads, depending on thread length. A "pinch" in most recipes means about 15 to 20 threads.
| Dish | Quantity | Saffron |
|---|---|---|
| Kesar milk | 1 cup (250 ml) | 4 to 6 threads |
| Kheer or rice pudding | 1 litre milk | 15 to 20 threads |
| Pulao or saffron rice | 2 cups rice (serves 4 to 6) | 15 to 20 threads |
| Vegetable biryani | 500 g rice (serves 4 to 6) | 20 to 25 threads |
| Biryani for a party | 2 kg rice (serves 15 to 16) | About 0.25 g (100 to 120 threads) |
| Shrikhand | 500 g hung yoghurt | 10 to 15 threads |
| Cookies or cake | One batch (about 20 pieces) | 10 to 15 threads |
Start at the lower end. Too much saffron tastes metallic and bitter rather than more fragrant.
How to bloom saffron
Saffron releases its colour and aroma into liquid, not into dry heat. Blooming, or steeping, gets the most out of every thread.
Warm milk or water method
- Lightly crush the threads between your fingers, or grind them in a small mortar with a pinch of sugar.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm milk or water. It should feel warm to the touch, not boiling.
- Leave for at least 15 to 20 minutes. For deeper colour, steep for up to a few hours.
- Add the liquid and threads to the dish near the end of cooking.
Light toasting (optional)
Some cooks warm the threads in a dry pan over the lowest heat for 10 to 15 seconds, just until they are crisp, before grinding. This makes them easier to powder. Do not let them darken; burnt saffron tastes bitter.
When to add bloomed saffron
- Biryani: drizzle over the top layer of rice just before sealing for dum, so you get streaks of gold and white.
- Pulao: stir into the cooking water once it boils.
- Kheer: stir in during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Kesar milk: add to warm milk with cardamom and sugar, as in the kesar milk recipe.
Recipes to try with saffron
- Kesar pista kheer: rice pudding with saffron, cardamom and pistachios.
- Saffron rice pilaf: a quick, fragrant side for curries.
- Hyderabadi vegetable dum biryani: saffron milk over the top layer before dum.
How to tell good saffron
- Look: deep red threads, slightly flared at one end like a trumpet. A few orange tips are normal; lots of yellow or white strands add weight but little flavour.
- Smell: a sweet, honey and hay aroma when you open the pack.
- Water test: drop a few threads into a glass of warm water. Real saffron releases a golden-yellow colour slowly over several minutes, and the threads stay red. Colour that turns the water red at once suggests dye.
- Feel: threads should be dry and springy, not oily or brittle to dust.
How to store saffron
Light, heat, air and moisture are what dull saffron. Store it with all four in mind.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Keep it in its sealed pack or a small airtight glass jar | Clear jars on an open shelf in daylight |
| Store in a cool, dark, dry cupboard | Shelves above the stove, oven or kettle |
| Use a dry spoon or fingers | Opening it over steaming pots |
| Wrap in foil inside a tin for extra protection | The fridge, where condensation forms each time you open it |
Whole threads keep their aroma far longer than ground saffron. Stored well, threads stay good for 1 to 2 years. Grind only what you need, when you need it. In hot UAE summers, keep saffron in the coolest cupboard in the kitchen, away from outside walls.
Nitra saffron grades
The Nitra range has two grades of saffron threads, both in 1 g and 2 g packs:
- Nitra Saffron Gold: the premium grade, with deep red colour and rich aroma, for biryani, kheer, desserts and kahwa.
- Nitra Saffron Silver: brings saffron colour and aroma to everyday rice dishes, sweets and drinks.
Frequently asked questions
How many saffron threads should I use?
Use about 15 to 20 threads for 2 cups of rice or 1 litre of milk, and 4 to 6 threads for a single cup of kesar milk.
Should saffron be soaked in milk or water?
Either works. Warm milk suits sweets and biryani; warm water suits savoury rice and drinks. Steep for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Can I add saffron threads directly to food?
You can, but you get less colour and aroma. Blooming the threads in warm liquid first spreads the colour evenly.
Should saffron be stored in the fridge?
No. Condensation each time you open it adds moisture. A cool, dark, dry cupboard in an airtight container is better.
How long does saffron last?
Whole threads stored airtight in the dark keep their colour and aroma for about 1 to 2 years. Ground saffron fades faster.
Find Nitra Saffron Gold and Silver alongside spices, flour and oils in the Nitra pantry essentials collection. Buy on Amazon.ae or order on WhatsApp at +971 50 252 0474.