Saffron, often called the “golden spice,” is a highly valued ingredient known for its vibrant color, delicate aroma, and rich flavor. Harvested from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, it is prized not only in culinary traditions worldwide but also for its health-promoting properties, including antioxidants and mood-enhancing benefits.
Saffron
Kashmiri Kahwa green tea
Ingredients
- Green tea leaves
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Rose petals
- Almonds
- Sugar (optional), saffron
Preparation
- Take the cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms in a mortar-pestle. Crush them lightly.
- Slice 4 to 5 almonds thinly. Almonds can also be crushed in the mortar and pestle if you prefer.
- In a saucepan, take 2 cups water. Place saucepan on the stove-top on a medium heat.
- Add the lightly crushed spices in the water.
- Add 5 to 6 dried rose petals.
- Add 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Let the water come to a gentle boil on a medium heat
- Turn off the heat. Place the pan on the kitchen counter-top. Add 1 teaspoon of green tea.
- Cover the pan with its lid and steep the tea leaves in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes.
- After 2 to 3 minutes, pour kahwa tea in small cups using a tea strainer. Add 3 to 4 saffron strands and sliced almonds in each cup and stir.
- Serve kahwa and enjoy this fragrant mild green tea. Kashmiri kahwa can be served as an after lunch or dinner tea.
Kesari badam milk
Ingredients
- 10-15 blanched almonds
- 2 cups whole milk
- Saffron strands
- Half table spoon cardamom powder
- 2-3 tablespoon sugar
Preparation
- Soak 15–20 blanched almonds in hot water and peel them.
- Grind the peeled almonds into a smooth paste using a little milk.
- Boil 2 cups of milk and add the almond paste to it.
- Stir in 5–6 saffron strands, sugar to taste, and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder, then simmer for 5–20 minutes.
- Serve the Kesar Badam Milk hot or chilled.
Saffron Biryani
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- Cardamom
- 500g chicken or vegetables
- 2 onions (fried golden brown)
- 2 tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 cup curd
- 2 tbsp biryani masala
- 6–7 saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 2 tbsp ghee
Preparation
- Wash and soak rice for 30 mins, cook till 70% done.
- In a pan, heat ghee and sauté onions, tomatoes, and masala. Add chicken/veg and cook till tender.
- Layer cooked rice over masala.
- Sprinkle saffron milk, fried onions, mint, and ghee on top.
- Cover tightly and cook on low flame for 20 mins.
- Garnish with 2–3 saffron strands for a royal finish.
Phirni
Ingredients
- ¼ cup basmati rice, soaked for 1 hour. Then , ground into paste
- 1 liter full fat milk
- ½ cup of sugar
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- Almond, pistachios , silver varak
Preparation
- Soak and grind the rice into a smooth or slightly coarse paste.
- Heat milk in a heavy-bottomed pan until it starts to simmer.
- Stir in the rice paste, and cook on low heat, stirring continuously to prevent lumps, until the mixture thickens (around 15–20 minutes).
- Add sugar, cardamom, and any infused flavors (rose, saffron, etc.). Continue simmering until you reach a pudding-like consistency.
- Transfer to bowls—traditionally small earthen shikoras or kulads—and top with nuts and optional garnishes like khoya or varak.
- Chill for at least an hour before serving.
Kesar pista kulfi
Ingredients
- Full cream milk – 1 liter
- Condensed milk – ½ cup (optional for richness)
- Sugar – ¼ to ⅓ cup (adjust to taste)
- Saffron strands – 12–15 (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, cashews) – 2 tbsp
Preparation
- In a heavy-bottom pan, bring the milk to a boil.
- Simmer on low flame and keep stirring until it reduces to about ⅓ of its original quantity. (This gives kulfi its creamy texture).
- Add sugar and condensed milk (if using). Stir well until dissolved.
- Add the saffron milk and cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Add chopped nuts and cook for 2–3 more minutes.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pour into kulfi moulds or small cups.
- Cover with foil and insert an ice-cream stick (if you like).
- Freeze for at least 6–8 hours (preferably overnight) until completely set.
- To demould, dip the mould briefly in warm water, then gently pull out.
- Garnish with saffron strands and nuts.
Kesari halwa
Ingredients
- Rava / Suji (semolina) – 1 cup
- Sugar – ¾ to 1 cup (adjust to taste
- Ghee – ½ cup
- Water – 2 ½ cups
- Milk – ½ cup (optional, makes halwa richer)
- Saffron strands – 8–10 (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Raisins – 8–10
Preparation
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan.
- Add rava and roast on low flame until it turns aromatic and slightly golden.
- Keep stirring to avoid burning.
- In another pan, boil water + milk.
- Add sugar, saffron milk (or color), and cardamom powder. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Slowly add roasted rava into the boiling syrup while stirring continuously (to avoid lumps).
- Cook on medium flame until rava absorbs all the liquid and becomes soft.
- Heat remaining ghee in a small pan, fry cashews and raisins until golden.
- Cook for 2–3 more minutes till ghee leaves the sides.
- Serve warm, garnished with saffron and extra nuts.
Ras malai
Ingredients
- For Rasgullas
- Full cream milk – 1 liter
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp (to curdle milk)
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp (to curdle milk)
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – 4 cup
- Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
- For Rabri (Flavored Milk) -
- Raisins – 8–10Full cream milk – 1 liter
- Sugar – 4–5 tbsp (adjust to taste)
- Saffron strands – 8–10 (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds) – 2 tbsp
Preparation
- Make Chenna.
- Boil 1 liter milk, add lemon juice/vinegar, and stir till milk curdles.
- Strain using a muslin cloth, wash with cold water to remove sourness.
- Squeeze out excess water, hang for 30 minutes to drain.
- Cook Rasgullas.
- Knead the chenna for 8–10 mins until smooth and soft.
- Make small balls (they will double in size after cooking).
- In a wide pan, boil 1 cup sugar + 4 cups water.
- Add balls, cover, and cook for 15–18 mins on medium flame (they should become spongy).
- Remove and let them cool.
- Prepare Rabri (Milk Base).
- Add saffron milk, sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Add chopped nuts. Turn off flame and let it cool.
- Assemble Ras Malai.
- Gently squeeze extra syrup from rasgullas.
- Drop them into the cooled rabri milk.
- Chill in refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
- Garnish with saffron strands and nuts.