Triple Diamond Saffron

Almond Pistachio Saffron Curry Sauce

Serve this smooth sauce on grilled meat or chicken breasts. One recipe will be enough for about 1 1/2 pounds of cooked meat. For an exotic twist on an old standby, simmer 1 1/2 Pounds of your favorite meatballs in it for 15 minutes.

Combine almonds and pistachios in a 10-inch frying pan and dry-roast over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a blender or a food processor and reduce to a powder. Set aside.

Heat butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Stir in spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in saffron, cream, salt and powdered nuts.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes.

Chicken Biryiani

Cut chicken in one inch pieces. Boil rice and set aside. Heat oil, add cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, cumin seeds, green cardamoms and sauté for half a minute. Add sliced onions and sauté. Add slit green chillies and chicken cubes and continue to sauté. Add turmeric powder and mix Add tomatoes and salt and mix. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder and yogurt. Mix well. Add half the fried brown onions. Add the boiled rice on top. Sprinkle garam masala powder, ginger strips, mint leaves and coriander leaves. Sprinkle milk, rose water and remaining browned onions. Cover and cook on low heat for about ten minutes. Garnish with the egg slices and serve hot.

Saffron Potato Onion Soup

Steep saffron threads in ¼ cup of water for about half an hour.

At the meantime, melt butter in a large stockpot over low heat. Add sweet onions and 2 tablespoons of water and stir it well. Cover it and stir it occasionally, until it gets soft and transparent look. Do not brown it.

Add potatoes and chicken broth to the heated onions. Now bring to a boil, and reduce heat and simmer to half an hour, until are tender. Carry away only half of the mixture with liquid and puree it in a blender until smooth and keep it in a same pot.

Add cream and saffron water into the soup and stir it well. Bring soup back to a simmer and remove it from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped chives and stir it well before serving it.

Saffron Rice with Cashews and Raisins

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a medium saucepan with the water, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, saffron, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, without removing the lid, for 10 minutes. With a fork, gently stir in the butter, cashews, and raisins.

Saffron Kheer

Melt the butter in a saucepan and lightly fry the nuts and raisins for 2 minutes. Add the vermicelli and fry for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the milk and stir. When it boils, lower to a simmer and add the sugar, cloves and saffron. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and the pasta is cooked. Remove from the heat and add the evaporated milk and the orange water.

Mix well before spooning into bowls, and serve either hot or cold.

Saffron Kulfi

1. In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in 1 tbsp boiling water for 2 minutes. Chop the pistachios roughly, and reserve a few to scatter on the top. Finely chop the remaining pistachios.

2. Mix the condensed milk and finely chopped pistachios together in a bowl. Stir in the saffron and its liquid.

3. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold it into the saffron mixture until well combined. Fill the ice cube trays with the mixture. Freeze at least 4 hours, until completely set. When frozen, place the ice cube trays into zippered freezer bags and freeze until ready to serve.

4. To serve, unmold the kulfi out of the ice cube trays onto chilled plates. Sprinkle with the reserved pistachios and serve immediately.

Saffron Tea

1. Take some water in a pan and get it to boil.

2. Put tea leaves with ¼ cup boiling water in a pot and spin the pot. Wash the leaves and pour out the water.

3. Add saffron, sugar, and hot water, and heat for 5 min.

4. Whisk and serve hot in tea cups.