Dine In Style Like A Royal Mughal :With Saffron Shahi Tukra (Saffron Bread Pudding)

Mughlai cuisine is one of the most famous, aristocratic and magnificent cuisines in the world. It also has a royal touch to it.

“India is a melting pot of various cultures” and the same can be said about its cuisine. The Indian cuisine has an influence of various cultures on it . Some of them are indigenous and some are foreign. The foreign cultures include the Mughals, Persian, Portuguese, English, French, Dutch and so forth and so on. Indian cuisine is therefore multi faceted and culturally diverse like the people themselves.

The influence of Mughal culture on the Indian culinary scenario commenced after their invasion in the 16th century. Mughals had elegant taste and were great food lovers. During this period , the lavish Mughal cuisine was prepared for the Mughal Emperors and their entourage of guests. The Mughals were famous for their exuberant hospitality and that helped in the spread of the Mughal cuisine in the various parts of India.

No Mughal feast was complete without Saffron threads and rosewater. These two aromatics added a delicate perfumed elegance to the flavor of the Mughal cuisine. The Mughal Emperors specifically like the Saffron flavored meat and desserts made with Saffron. The Mughal Kitchen or Matbakh as it was known as at that time, was brimming with cooks from Persia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and from all over Central Asia and of course India. The refinement in the taste they had can be judged from the fact that they simply loved the food that melted in the mouth and disliked the food that needed excessive amount of chewing.

The khansama or the royal master chefs in the Mughal kitchen brought in the best meat , vegetables and aromatic spices like Saffron threads. Fruits were especially flown in from Kabul, the royal delicacies were cooked only in the water from the Holy river Ganga. The river Ganga shares the same importance in the Indian Culture like that of River Nile in Egypt.

Sugar, Saffron threads and lemon juice formed an integral part of Mughal cuisine. The almond oil rendered the royal food a special taste and flavor. After a heavy meal to satisfy the appetite, the Mughal Emperors gratified their taste buds with a delicious dessert made from Saffron threads.

The Mughals were a connoisseurs of fine dining along with art, music and architecture. Their influence on art and architecture can be seen in the form of beautiful carvings and great pieces of architecture like Taj Mahal which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife.

They were particularly fond of music and arts. The beautiful paintings adorning the walls of different palaces of that era are a proof to their keen interest.

Mughals loved grandeur in everything. Their meals were full of style, splendor and rich aromatic foods. Their luxurious, savory food culture accompanied them to India as well. In the course of time,the cultural exchange helped in harmoniously blending of the traditional Indian cuisine with the Mughlai cuisine. The delicious Indian cuisine got merged with the Mughlai cuisine to form the delectable Indian Mughlai cuisine.

One such example is the Saffron Shahi Tukra or (Saffron Bread Pudding)

Let’s take a look at this Royal Saffron delicacy.

To make Saffron Shahi Tukra you will require 4 Slices of Bread, about 1/2 liter milk, 1/3 cup of sugar, Clarified butter or Desi Ghee , 1/2 bowl of almonds, Pistachios etc, 2 tsp of Saffron threads, 1 small bowl of rose water.

 

1. First and foremost soak the 2 teaspoons of Saffron threads in 1 bowl of rose water.

2. Meanwhile, cut the bread slices diagonally so that it forms a Triangle shape.

3. Now in a pan pour in appropriate amount of Desi Ghee or Clarified butter, Heat the pan over medium flame. Slowly slide in the bread pieces. Fry them till they get a nice golden -brown color.

4. In a plate, covered with a kitchen paper, place the bread pieces to absorb the excessive amount of butter.

5. In another pan, pour in the milk and bring it to a boil , now 1/3 cup of sugar and the Saffron threads, 1/2 bowl of almonds, pistachios to it.

6. Pour this mixture over the bread slices. Allow the bread to soak up the milk, then arrange the bread pieces on a decorative plate and serve hot.

Get set to taste Royal indulgence in your home with this Saffron Shahi Tukra recipe, the Mughal way!

An Italian Date With Saffron

Italy is not only about cheese dripping pizza and huge piles of pasta there is much more to it than this. Soo, on your quest to discover the Italian cuisine first say “ Ti Amo” to the great masterpieces of arts and get acquainted with the Italian culture. The Italians are considered to be great patrons of art, music and of course food. The beautiful climate and the turquoise colored water of the shimmering Mediterranean sea is the perfect way to describe this gorgeous country.

The versatile yet distinctive Italian cuisine has evolved through the years. The culinary delight of Italian food is mainly due to cross-cultural influences from more than three thousand years. Roman, Greek, and Arab influences have shaped the Italian cuisine and made it even more delectable and sought after.

Saffron or “Zefferano” as it is called in Italian,is an important ingredient in Italian cuisine. The origination of Saffron in History is backed by a lot of interesting tales. It is said that the Roman Emperor Nero sprinkled the streets with Saffron water to honor his return to Rome. However, after the decline of the Roman empire, Saffron vanished from the European scenario, till the advent of the Moors who reintroduced it to Europe.

Navelli in Abruzzo, Italy thought to be the Italian capital for high quality saffron. Saffron is used in many top-notch Italian dishes, the most famous being Risotto all Milanese.

There’s surely something exotic about this golden spice that makes people from all quarters of the world fall in love with it. Something avant garde, like a warm cuddle, delicate and angelic! A small bit of this majestic spice escalates an apparently pleasant dish into an incredible one. The amalgamation of Saffron and Italian cuisine is definitely an ethereal experience.

Like the people themselves who are such warm,loving and fond of entertainment and hospitality. Italian cuisine gets its taste from the very savory attitude of the people of Italy. Their full of life attitude very well reflects in their food and lifestyle.

Patience is the key ingredient in Italian cooking as they say “Rome wasn't built in a day”

Let’ say “Buon giorno” to Italian Cuisine and look at this yummy Saffron Panna Cotta Dessert recipe.

Saffron Panna Cotta Dessert

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups half of cream or milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 large tablespoons of water

3 -4 Saffron threads

2 Teaspoon of rose water

Method:

Begin by soaking Saffron threads in a bowl of water. In a pan heat the cream for about 3 minutes. Gently slide in the previously soaked Saffron threads and sugar. Slowly stir the mixture till it attains a light yellow color.

Now, in another pan pour in 3 large tablespoons of water Subsequently, place the 1 envelope unflavored gelatin above the surface of the water. The gelatin will quickly absorb the water in about 2 minutes.

Once the gelatin has softened pour it in the cream and Saffron mixture. Gently stir the mixture till the gelatin completely melts. Now add , the two teaspoon of rose water, to render a nice aroma to the mixture.

Refrigerate it for about two hours. Serve it by garnishing it with your favorite nuts. Slurp on!

That’s why life in Italy seems so delicious and perfect. To, the Italians life is all about “Mangiare per vivere e non vivere per mangiare” meaning ‘Eat to live and not live to eat’.

Saffron's use as a dye by various cultures, prized as the safe organic dye for clothing & food.

The dried stigmas of Saffron are treasured all over the world as agents used in safe organic dye in both food and clothes. Irrespective of the high cost of saffron, it has been used as a fabric dye especially in India and China. It is an unstable coloring agent in the long run, so eventually the color will fade with regular washing. Saffron imparts a beautiful orange yellow color to the fabric which eventually fades into pale and creamy yellow. Depending on the concentration of the saffron used to dye the fabric, rich shades with red tones are obtainable. Traditionally, the clothes dyed with saffron were worn by noble people especially worn by Buddhist and Hindu monks. In medieval Scotland and Ireland, monks wore linen undershirts dyed with Saffron. To this day Saffron is still used as a heavenly dye and the favored one among spiritual practitioners who study Buddhism.

Saffron renders a garnishing bright yellow color in food. It is widely used in cuisines of Europe, North Africa and Asia. The aroma and taste of saffron give the dish a distinctive flavor. Moroccans use saffron in preparing their dishes which includes kefta (meat balls), mqualli (chicken dish), chelow Kebab, chermoula and mrouzia. Indian sweet dishes such as kulfi, gulab jamun, and saffron lassi are quite famous all over the world for their exquisite taste. These Indian dishes are mostly inspired from Moroccan sweet dishes.

Moroccan cuisine is one of the most favorite in the world. 

Honey Chicken with Saffron recipe

Cooking Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 40 minutes Serves: 4-6 people

Recipe Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 Kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces

1 big sized onion, coarsely chopped

3-4 crushed garlic, cloves

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

1 1/2 tsp ginger, ground

800 g coarsely chopped tomatoes

300 ml chicken stock or water

1/2 tsp strands saffron

75 ml (5 tbsp) honey

1 tsp orange flower water

30g blanched flaked almonds, toasted

small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

couscous or flat-breads, to serve

You can use regular buns, even slice bread if you don’t find flat breads.

Cooking Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Putting in the chicken pieces fry them till golden brown. Now, keep the chicken aside, and cook the onion in the same pan till gets tender and starts to lighten up. Add in the garlic cloves, ginger, cinnamon and cook for a minute. Put in the tomatoes, then mix everything together. Turn off the heat and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.

2. Bring the chicken stock to boil and add 2-3 strands of saffron to it. Now, put it over the vegetables and bring one more boil to the whole stuff. Place the chicken pieces on top, allow the juices to flow from them and put the mixture over the chicken. Let it simmer gently till the time the chicken becomes soft. It will take around 30 minutes for the juices to get absorbed and for the chicken to get tender.

3.After taking out all the chicken pieces, keep them aside and covering them with a lid. Now, bring the juices to a boil and don’t remove till the mixture becomes thick. Keep simmering by adding honey till it becomes thick like a jam.

Now, add the orange flower water. Insert the chicken pieces into the mixture and allow them to absorb the sauce.

4. Remove from heat, serve the chicken pieces and sauce on the flat bread with typical Moroccan garnish of toasted almonds and chopped coriander over the chicken pieces.

Saffron Chicken Recipes of Morocco

Crocus Sativus, commonly known as Saffron is a major ingredient of the Moroccan cuisine. It also holds medicinal benefits along with dying properties. Taliouine is the famous city in Morocco known for being the preeminent specialist micro producer of Saffron and 4th in the world behind Iran, India, and Greece. This Saffron is widely used in its pure form and a crucial ingredient in the the finest recipes the World over. Most of the Moroccan recipes are incomplete without Saffron. It is known as Za’fron in Arabic language originating from the Arabic word to describe the yellow color it gives to food, it's a delight for everyone. Moroccan cuisine is famous all over the world for its aromatic flavor and delectable taste. 

Don't you want to taste the subtle differences presented by using the finest Moroccan Taliouine grown Saffron? Here is a list of some of our favorite Saffron chicken recipes which are cooked everyday in Morocco.

We sell quality Saffron from Taliouine Morocco! 

Background of recipe 1

It is an amazing Moroccan traditional chicken dish. It tempts you with its exotic flavor and is best served with Moroccan Rice Pilaf.

Recipe 1: Moroccan Saffron Chicken Along with Saffron Rice

Ingredients

• Chicken, cut into pieces 1
• Onion medium, chopped 2
• Ginger, ground 1 tablespoon
• White pepper, 1 tablespoon
• Cinnamon, 2 sticks
• Saffron threads, crumbles ½ teaspoon for the rice, ½ for the recipe
• Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
• Butter, ¼ cup
• Olive Oil, ¼ cup or Argan Oil
• Fresh cilantro, chopped ¼ cup
• Salt, as per your taste

Directions

• Prepare the Saffron water and then and cook your rice separately
• Mix the entire above mentioned ingredient in a deep bottom pot. Cover and cook it on medium flame, by stirring occasionally for at least one hour or till the chicken is tender.
• Do not add water and check the chicken from time to time to avoid burning.
• Garnish with cilantro/coriander and serve

Background of Recipe 2

This simple but exotic chicken stew renders great taste along with ginger, cinnamon and sweet potatoes. Feathery couscous imbibes the flavored sauce. Yummy

Recipe 2: Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour, ¼ cup
• Boneless Chicken, 1.5 pounds
• Ground pepper
• Salt as per your taste
• Olive oil,or Argan Oil 2 tbsp
• Onion diced, 1
• Ginger, 1 piece
• Cinnamon Stick, 1
• Sodium Chicken Broth, 1 can
• Sweet potatoes, peeled, 2
• Saffron, 1 pinch
• Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons
• Couscous 1 cup
• Cilantro/coriander, chopped for Garnish (optional)

Directions

• Place flour in bowl. Marinate chicken with salt, pepper and cover it with flour, removing the excess. In a deep bottomed pan, heat oil. Add chicken till brown, up to 4 to 6 minutes from all sides and drain it on a plate.
• Add onion, cinnamon and ginger to the pan. Stir constantly till onion gets tender. Add broth, sweet potatoes and saffron. Boil it and then simmer, till the sweet potatoes are tender, up to 10 to 15 minutes. Remove ginger and cinnamon. Mix it with lemon juice.
• While stew is simmering, adjust the salt and pepper. Prepare couscous as usual but be sure to add the couscous to the premade saffron water!
• Serve the chicken stew with garnished cilantro and couscous.

Background of recipe 3

It is a simple and easy side dish of the Moroccan cuisine.

Recipe 3: Saffron Couscous

Ingredients

• Butter, 3 tablespoons
• Saffron threads, crushed 1/8 teaspoon
• Onion, slit, 1
• Salt, 1 teaspoon
• Reduced Sodium chicken stock, 1 cup
• Couscous box, 1.5 cup
• Parsley leaves, chopped, 1/3 cup

Directions:

• In a shallow pan, with a medium flame, melt the full butter. Add saffron to the oil and cook. Keep stirring it for one minute.
• Put onion in the pan and salt and saute. Stir it constantly till the onions turn translucent, for about 7 to 8 minutes
• Add the chicken stock along with a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add the canned couscous, and stir. Cover the pan and remove it from the flame. Give it a standby time of 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with the help of a fork and gently stir to check.
• Garnish it with parsley
• You saffron couscous is ready to be served!

You might be thinking that Morocco is just another country in Africa. However, it is a very vibrant country with a vast history. The history of this mysterious country dates back to the paleolithic age. Morocco has got a vast variety in the cuisine as it has been a part of the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire before the introduction of Islam.

Taliouine Morocco produces only 2 tons of the Golden Spice Saffron each year so you are getting the good stuff, the true micro batch Saffron. Hope you will start making these tasty Moroccan recipes and in honorary tradition say Subhan Allah!

Spirituality & Saffron Video: Focus on Maharashtra India plus a regional delight showcasing a coastal saffron recipe

Welcome to the NEW Saffron kitchen: countryside series!

Join our host Nikita as we visit an important spiritual shrine in Maharashtra India, then shares with us a wonderful Saffron inspired Salmon and Crab recipe from this famous Indian coastal region.

How to attain and maintain a Perfect shape with Saffron Thin diet

We often drool over the oh-so-perfect bodies of models in fashion and lifestyle magazine. It often triggers us to hit the gym in want of such svelte figures. This is an excellent tried-and-tested marketing gimmick, to draw people to purchase expensive chemical laden products or surgeries. However, it is always good to put your trust in natural weight loss diet methods. One of them is Saffron thin diet. Of course, you could pursue other avenues for getting a slim and trim figure like taking up belly dancing classes, ab workouts, practice maintaining a proper posture, etc. However, all these methods require tremendous amount of hard work, time and dedication. Time is something everyone is short of these days, isn’t it ?

Saffron thin diet is not a flight of fancy, as most are prone to think. The confidence enhancing advantages are as charismatic as the health benefits- just ask someone who has recently benefited from this program.

Besides this, the aroma that fills your kitchen while cooking this Saffron thin diet recipe will make you want to pump up the salsa music and grab a mojito! Do I need to say? that it will definitely lift your mood! Your mood is the most important element needed for a successful weight loss program. So by using Saffron to uplift your mood, you have already one half the battle. We will give you tips to win the remaining.

The battle of the bulge can get confusing! But using the following guidelines can be helpful.

1. Do not skip your Breakfast. It is the most essential meal of the day. As per research, individuals who eat their breakfast regularly are more likely to have a slim and fit body in compared to those who skip breakfast. You can try Saffron thin diet recipe like Saffron pancakes, Saffron Waffles etc

2.Chew food completely as the digestion process mostly occurs in the mouth rather than in the stomach. Saffron thin diet recipes help in elevating your taste sense. So, you don’t have to worry about chewing your food, what say.

3. For all you fruit lovers you can combine Saffron with fruits like lettuce, celery, cucumbers, watermelon, melon, oranges, and grapes, to help banish bloat by flushing it out your system as a part of Saffron thin diet regime.

4.Including Saffron in your diet helps in making the food deliciously tasty which in turn cuts down your hunger rate, so you eat optimum amount of food. This is the essence of Saffron thin diet program. Here is to a pinch of Saffron and your health, Bon Appetit!

5. It is always better to carry snacks with you. So that if you a stricken with hunger -pains , snacks come in handy. This is in contrast to going to the store to buy snacks when you get hungry, the home-made snacks are usually much lower in calories and fat then the highly processed snacks bought on store shelves. So remember don’t leave home without your supply of home-made snacks!

6. Beauty Sleep! is equally important to have a healthy body. Never sacrifice your sleep as it can invite a lot of health related issues.

The Saffron thin diet regime is fun, and it's the more effective and cheaper weight loss program that also happens to be good for your health.

Running your way to Success with Saffron Thin Diet Tips

Lack of time? Lack of equipment? This fat burning form of exercise called running will help you get back in shape without spending a moolah on purchasing exorbitant workout equipments.

Running is the best form of exercise.You probably must have heard it a thousand times, isn’t it? So you definitely don’t need to be nudged or pushed to lace up your running shoes and hit the track.

Running is something which many of us do first thing in the morning. But don’t head for the jogging track just yet. Running is absolutely superb, however sometimes our favorite exercise falls short when it comes to burning those extra pounds. Despite of all our efforts many of us hardly manage to lose weight. No wonder, the Marathon is full of runners of all shapes and sizes who can complete the grinding race but are still suffering with their weight.

So what do you do? Forget about all the fuss surrounding losing weight and running. Just focus on good nutrition and following a proper diet regime along with running. It is all about having fun getting fit and feeling great. That’s when Saffron thin diet program steps in. Saffron thin diet is about perfectly combining exercise and healthy eating to give you a trimmer waistline and a sound body.

It is program that will help enhance your feel good factor and keep you motivated in your goal.

Here’s step by step guide to getting that Wow body with Saffron thin diet tips

1.Slow and Steady wins the race: You should start slowly and then increase your pace gradually. You can begin with about 1 minute of slow running. Eventually you can proceed up to 3 minutes daily. Then gradually you can increase it to about 10 minutes daily. Run at a pace that feels overwhelming but comfortable.However, you should not run for more than 30 minutes daily otherwise it can have adverse effect on your weight loss program.

2. Super food : Saffron is loaded with antioxidants, mood elevating compounds . This helps in enlightening your mood and properly following the Saffron thin diet plan.Choose healthy food over junk food. Go for Saffron thin diet recipes that assist in generating energy in your body and at same time fuel your weight loss program.For a great workout regime, it is essential to keep in mind diet tips and nutrition advice.

3.Water : Keeping your body well-hydrated is most important element of Saffron thin diet program.In order to maintain muscle and to become successful in your endeavor, your body needs quality fuel and sufficient hydration.

3. Adorn a Comfortable attire: Wear comfortable clothing and shoes while running. It is essential to feel as comfortable as possible while doing this form of exercise.

4.Schedule your workout: Pen down your goals and set timelines in order to keep you motivated. Properly plan your workout schedule and keep one day as a rest day.

5. Track your fitness :This is one of the most significant part of Saffron thin diet program. It is crucial to track fitness in order to keep a check on your weight loss program. You can effectively do it by maintaining a diary and updating it regularly.

7.Drink with care: Although it is easier said than done. But it is indeed important to avoid alcohol and restrict to drinking water, coffee, and tea.By doing this you can easily reap the benefits of this Saffron thin diet plan. You can go for skimmed milk as it has adequate calories to provide energy to your body.A delicious way would be opting for Saffron thin diet milk recipes.They are sure to keep your spirits high.

Remember, it is important to become fit and healthy rather than merely losing weight to fit into your latest designer wear.Saffron thin diet program advocates having a Healthy body and Sound mind.So, restore your fitness regime with these simple yet effective Saffron thin diet tips.