How To Bloom Saffron (Complete Tutorial)• Unicorns in the kitchen

Name: How To Bloom Saffron
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/4 tsp ground saffron (never use the threads without grinding them); 2 ice cubes

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Learn how to bloom saffron in 20 minutes. This no fail technique lets you get the most out of saffron and use it in numerous recipes. I've used this technique for years and years!

Learn how to bloom saffron once and forever. This technique is a no-fail and has been in my family for the longest time! There is so much you can do with bloomed saffron!

Saffron is one of the must-have items in your Persian pantry and is used regularly in Persian recipes such as saffron rice, saffron chicken and of course, saffron ice cream. In order to make the most out of this expensive spice, I'm going to show you how to bloom it. My method is easy to follow and results in a golden and aromatic saffron concentrate that you can use in lots of different recipes.

Table Of Contents:

Saffron, a Persian staple
A new method to bloom saffron
Grinding saffron
What can I make with saffron?
Frequently asked questions
More saffron recipes
Step-by-Step Recipe

Saffron, a Persian staple

Persian saffron is my one and only "must have" spice. I grew up in a home where my maman started making food early in the morning and the mesmerizing aroma of saffron always surrounded me, making me run into the kitchen while hypnotized by the gorgeous show of ingredients, aromas and my maman's magical hands and all the love that held us together.

A new method to bloom saffron

The way we bloom saffron in my family could be surprising for many. A common approach is to bloom it with hot water, which, in my opinion, shocks the saffron and doesn't give it enough time to bloom well.

In my kitchen, we actually sprinkle saffron on top of ice and let it melt at room temperature. Our reason for doing so is to give the saffron enough time to release its color and aroma as the ice melts. This is a no-fail method that I've been using for years and it always results in the best concentrated saffron.

Sprinkle ground saffron on a couple cubes of ice and wait for it to melt.

Grinding saffron

To bloom saffron, you should always use ground saffron and never the threads. The traditional way to grind it is to use a pestle and mortar. Some would mix saffron threads with very little sugar and salt to make the process easier but I prefer to spend more time grinding it rather than altering the pure taste of it.

What can I make with saffron?

There is so much you can make with just a little bit of bloomed saffron. Here are a few of our favorite savory and sweet recipes using saffron:

Marinate some chicken and make Joojeh kabab.
Add it to soups such as roasted cauliflower soup or saffron roasted butternut squash soup.
Use it in desserts including saffron milkshake, Persian love cake, saffron ice cream (bastani sonnati) or Persian love muffins.
Make delicious rice dishes including Tahchin – Persian savory rice cake ,zereshk polo morgh - Persian barberry rice with chicken and classic saffron rice.

Frequently asked questions

Why is saffron so expensive?

Harvesting saffron in an extremely labor intensive task. Each saffron flower (known as crocus sativus) produces only 3 stigmas which are the saffron threads we use. The whole process should be done by hand because of the delicacy of the flowers. To make one ounce of saffron, 4000 saffron flowers need to be harvested.

How long can I keep the saffron concentrate?

You can keep bloomed saffron in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's best to use it by day 3, otherwise it'll start losing its flavor and aroma.

More saffron recipes

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Step-by-Step Recipe