Through stories, recipes and fascinating anecdotes, a new book delves into the spice’s rich legacy, uncovering its role in trade, medicine, and cuisine
Harvesting saffron continues to be a labour-intensive task done by hand. Pic Courtesy/Pan Macmillan
With its warm sunset hue and heady aroma, saffron — a spice as precious as gold — has long woven its magic through kitchens, cultures, and centuries. In her new book, Saffron: A Global History (Pan Macmillan), journalist and chef Ramin Ganeshram invites readers on a journey, tracing the spice’s rich legacy — from ancient trade routes, to modern-day kitchens — unravelling stories of tradition, intrigue, and the countless hands that have cherished its golden threads.
The Guide dives into cool insights from the book.
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Modern analysis indicates that Mogul-era miniatures like this one of 1590 resisted corrosion and fading in part because of the mixing of saffron with various pigments
Saffron’s introduction to India
Ganeshram describes saffron as something of a soldier of fortune in an ancient world that saw empires rise and fall. While Chinese texts from the third century reference Kashmiri saffron offered in Buddhist rituals, by the sixth century BCE, [it is established that] the Persian influence had reached Kashmir’s fertile valleys, where saffron crocuses flourished in the Himalayas. The region’s climate proved to be perfect such that in the fields of Pampore, purple flowers yielded saffron that was so aromatic and deeply coloured that it soon surpassed its Persian and Grecian counterparts in value. Kashmiri saffron threads are noticeably longer and thicker and their deep red colour makes them easy to identify. Sold in loose tangles with two varieties — one with the yellowish-white ‘style’ attached and the rarer, prized pure red strands — Kashmiri saffron indeed stands apart and is the world’s most expensive one.
Biryani is a layered rice dish featuring saffron that came to India through Iran at the time of the Mogul emperors
As Persian culinary traditions mingled with Indian flavours, dishes like ‘Polow’ — saffron-laced rice from Persia — inspired what would become one of India’s most iconic creations under the Mughal rule: the biryani.
The Jain Gomateshwara festival is held once every dozen years at Shravanabelagola in the Indian state of Karnataka. Held since the year 981 BCE, worshippers pour saffron water or saffron milk onto a 17-m (57 ft) statue of Gomateshwara, a revered figure in the Jain religion, from a specially constructed platform
In spirituality
Saffron is the heart of local farmers and a symbol of Kashmir’s rich heritage. Over time, it found a place in perfumes, medicines, and spiritual rituals. For instance, in Hindu rituals, saffron represents fire and purity, its vivid hue adorning altars and priests alike. During festivals, the spice finds its way into fragrant desserts, offered as a sweet tribute to the divine.
Stages of saffron, (from left to right): a saffron crocus petal; young shoots with the crocus flower emerging; semi mature crocus flower; picked immature crocus flower; almost mature crocus flower; mature flower with almost developed stigmas; fully mature flower with developed stigmas; picked stigmas with discarded petals; finally, a pile of picked stigmas, ready for drying
By the third century, Chinese scholar Wan Zhen recorded Kashmir’s saffron journeying along a southern Silk Route, where it was mixed with wine and offered in
Buddhist ceremonies as a symbol of purity and devotion.
Saffron is used extensively in Persian cooking; there are some shops in Iran entirely dedicated to selling the spice
Buddhist monks, too, don robes dyed in its golden essence, a mark of renunciation and enlightenment. Saffron was believed to have the ability to ward off offensive smells, and generally be a purifier for the body against bad chi — the ‘vital energy’ of any living being.
Saffron was adopted as an official colour of the Indian National Flag with the formation of the Indian Republic in 1947 due to its significance in the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religions. File pic
In Karnataka, the Jain community pays a grand tribute to saffron through the Mahamastakabhisheka, a sacred ritual held every twelve years at hravanabelagola. Devotees gather to anoint the towering 17-meter statue of Bahubali with saffron-infused milk, poured from massive scaffolds.
In medicine
Healers revered its powers — Persian physician Ibn Sina praised saffron for treating eye, liver, and lung ailments, while Ibn Nafis Qarshi believed it could calm headaches and lift spirits. Even today, science explores its potential in treating Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s and heart conditions. From Santorini’s ancient Minoan frescoes, showing women treating wounds with saffron to Persian baths using it to soothe bruised skin and cleanse with its astringent qualities, saffron’s magic has endured for over 3,600 years — a timeless remedy, treasured and true.
In art and culture
In Indian miniature paintings, especially during the Mughal era, saffron wasn’t just prized for its rich orange hue — it played a crucial role in preserving art. Artists used it as a stabiliser for verdigris, a green pigment, ensuring the paintings retained their vibrancy over centuries.
In Persian literature, saffron found its way into epic poetry. Ferdowsi’s Shâhnâmeh paints vivid imagery, describing the hero Rustam’s horse, Rakhsh, as having a coat the colour of ‘rose petals scattered upon a saffron ground’ — a poetic nod to the spice’s beauty and allure.
400
hours of labour is needed to produce a kilo of saffron
Spotting the fakes
From dyed onion skins to corn silk and even paprika in powdered form, imitators have long tried to mimic saffron’s fiery hue. Drop a few threads into cold water and wait — true saffron reveals itself slowly. Over 15 minutes, the water turns a rich yellow-orange while the threads remain vibrant red, revealing authenticity. Besides, the real test lies in its scent and taste. Genuine saffron greets the nose with a sweet, hay-like aroma — earthy and warm — but its taste is never sweet. If it leaves sugary notes on your tongue, it’s a clever fake.
Saffron over the ages
. Saffron traces have been found in cave art in Mesopotamia dating back at least 50,000 years, showcasing its ancient connection to artistic expression.
. The saffron crocus is linked to a tragic love story in Greek mythology. Crocus, a handsome youth, fell in love with the nymph, Smilax. Their passion angered the gods, who transformed them into plants — Crocus became the saffron flower, and Smilax became a greenbrier.
. Alexander the Great adopted Persian customs, including saffron-infused baths for muscle relief and wound healing. He eventually prescribed these baths to his soldiers as treatment
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