SAFFRON (Kesar)

Kashmiri Saffron, often called "red gold," is a highly prized spice cultivated primarily in the Pampore region of Kashmir, India. It is derived from the dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. What sets it apart is its superior quality, characterized by exceptionally long, thick, and deep crimson threads (known as Mongra grade, the purest form). This saffron has a distinctively potent, sweet, and floral aroma with earthy undertones, due to its high concentration of the compounds crocin (for color) and safranal (for aroma). Due to its delicate, hand-harvested nature and specific growing conditions in the high-altitude Kashmiri soil, it is one of the most expensive and sought-after spices in the world, valued equally for its intense coloring strength in culinary uses and its traditional medicinal properties.