Saffron grown indoors in Uttar Pradesh, not sourced

Almost every saffron sold in India is bought through a chain of middlemen and sold on the strength of the word “Kashmiri”. We grow ours ourselves, aeroponically, in a climate-controlled room in Mainpuri — which means we can tell you exactly what happened to it.

• Grown, not sourced. Premium corms, aeroponic trays, controlled humidity and light. No soil, and 90% less water than field cultivation.
• Hand-harvested and hand-separated by 25 rural women, the morning the flower opens.
• Pure stigmas only. No style, no safflower, no dyed corn silk, no added weight.
• Lab-tested for purity before it is packed.
• Packed in glass, not plastic sachets, with the batch number and packing date printed on every jar.
• NITI Aayog featured for the cultivation method itself.

How to tell whether saffron is real

• Drop a few strands in warm milk or water. Real saffron releases colour slowly, over 10 to 15 minutes. Dye releases instantly.
• Real strands keep their red colour after soaking. Dyed strands turn pale and the water turns bright orange.
• Rub a strand between wet fingers. Saffron leaves a faint yellow trace. Colour that comes off red is dye.
• Real saffron tastes faintly bitter, never sweet. Sweetness means it has been treated with honey or glycerine to add weight.

Using it

Soak 3 to 5 strands in warm milk or water for 15 to 30 minutes before adding. Never add dry strands directly to hot oil or ghee — the aroma burns off before it reaches the dish. Good for kheer, phirni, biryani, kahwa and a nightly glass of warm milk.

Stored in a cool dark cupboard in its glass jar, our saffron keeps for 24 months.