Costly Spice Saffron

Saffron is a special and most expensive spice. The spice is well known to us. It is used to prepare of different types of curry and food coloring. Saffron plant is a flowering plant. Its names and two pictures are shown below one is dry saffron and another one is for flowers.

• Spice Name: Saffron
• Family name: Iridaceae
• Botanical Name: Crocus Sativus L.

Saffron is native to Southwest Asia. It was first cultivated in Greece. At present it is cultivated in many countries in the world.

The saffron plant is not so high. The body of the plant is soft. The saffron plant grows poor in shade but more in full sunlight and well drained soil. It can also grow in the home yard. Plant the bulb four to five inch deep into the soil and their difference is five to six inches between one plant to another. In autumn the plant appears as a beautiful flower. Fifty to sixty flowers produce a simple one tablespoon saffron.

Saffron is a reddish-brown or golden yellow in color. After collecting the saffron from the plant it is dried for use as a seasoning and coloring agent in food. It is grinding in a machine as a powder then used as spice also.

 

Saffron contains vitamin A, B6 and C. It also contains minerals such as copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc. It is used as spice in food flavoring for better taste. It is also used as fragrance in perfume and as a dye for cloth.

Spice Sesame

Sesame is an ancient spice. The spice is black in color. Sesame is considered the oldest oil seed. It was cultivated in Egypt long ago. From the spices, oil is extracted which is called sesame oil. It is a well known oil seed spice. The names and two pictures are given below one is for seeds and another one is for powder.

• Spice Name: Sesame
• Family name: Pedaliaceae
• Scientific Name: Sesamum Indicum

Sesame spice is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It grows in hot climates. The spice is cultivated in many countries in the world for spices and sesame oil.

The spice sesame plant is not long high. The spices are harvested once a year. The body and leaves of the plant are soft and green. At the time of flowering the plant looks very beautiful.

Sesame fruit grown from flowers and black seeds are found from the fruit. After harvesting the seeds are extracted from fruit. One plants gives many sesame fruits. There are many seeds within a fruit. Grinding the seeds by machine prepared the powder of sesame. 

 

The sesame contains a good source of healthy fats. It is a source of  vitamins C and vitamin B6. It also contains iron, magnesium, potassium and sodium. It is used as spice and oil. The sesame oil is used in baking products, in cooking and snacks.