Monday, October 4, 2010

INGREDIENTS - Saffron and Turmeric

SAFFRON

TURMERIC




















Saffron, the world's most expensive spice by weight, was first carried to Brazil on board Portuguese caravels, and has been a part of repertoire of spices used in traditional Brazilian cuisine ever since. Originally from central Asia, saffron (açafrão in Portuguese) was first cultivated commercially in the Eastern Mediterranean, and was part of the culinary heritage left in Portugal by the retreating Moors. It is valued around the world for the brilliant yellow color it imparts to any food to which it is added, and for its sweet, grassy or hay-like aroma and taste.

As much as this dried stigma of a crocus (that's what saffron is) is valued in Brazil, for a large portion of the country's population, its price simply puts it out of reach. By weight, saffron costs about USD $1000 per pound in most Western countries, including Brazil. So in a country in which the minimum wage is just over USD $300 per month, not many people can afford saffron.

Brazilian cooks and Brazilian cuisine are nothing if not clever and inventive, making do with what's available and what's affordable. In that same colonial spice larder which held the precious saffron, there was another spice that was much less expensive and which Brazilian cooks began to use as a substitute for saffron - it gave dishes the same color, more or less, as saffron did, although it didn't provide the same aroma or taste as the more expensive spice. It was originally known as cúrcuma or turmérico or, in English turmeric. This spice originated in Southeast Asia and is a rhizome, like its relative, ginger. Once Brazilian kitchen slaves began to substitute this spice for true saffron, they began to refer to it as açafrão-da-terra, meaning saffron-of-the-earth, and this is the name which is most commonly used in Brazil today. As a matter of fact, it's often shortened just to açafrão under the assumption that most cooks will automatically assume that it's turmeric being spoken of, not true saffron. If a contemporary Brazilian recipe employs true saffron, the directions will make it clear not to add turmeric but rather the "high-price-spice."

Brazilian cuisine has adopted turmeric enthusiastically, and many dishes call for it to be added - I suspect not only for its color-enhancing properties, but also because of its earthy, warm taste. I've cooked Brazilian recipes which call for turmeric which, in my opinion, would not be suited to true saffron. Starting out as a cheaper substitute for a very expensive product, turmeric is now valued in Brazil for its own properties, and for its kindlier price point too.

18 comments:

  1. e o coloral ?? qual e o nome em ingles?

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    Replies
    1. Colorau in English is Paprika but its not the same thing in Brasil.
      Colorau or colorifico is made of the seed of the achiote tree also known as annatto. It is processed used as a dye or coloring agent too. Flavor is a muted smokey nutmeg.

      Paprika on the other hand is a red pepper. Also called colorau in Portugal. And I'll explain that later.
      They also have
      Paprica Doce = sweet paprika
      Paprica picante = hot paprika
      Paprica fumada = smoked paprika

      You will find a few spices in brasil they give names to a different spice that is more readily available in place of a another either by cost or rarity in brasil.
      Portugal paprika was called colorau. In brasil they pepper was less available but the achiote tree seeds gave a similar color so.. they started calling it colorau. When world trade became faster, easier and.. cheaper. Colorifico became the proper name to differentiate but some still use the colorau name.

      Saffron or açafrão in brasil. Is another one. Saffron the most expensive spice by weight in the world was simply no affordable in brasil. But... tumeric gives a similar color and the taste can be mimiced in other ways. So Tumeric became known in brasil as
      açafrão. You will still find tumeric as açafrão but if you want real Saffron you will need to find açafrão de Espanhol.
      Another name for tumeric in brasil is açafrão do terra.

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  3. Colorau (not "coloral") is paprika.

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  4. O açafrao usado no brasil é outra coisa. É baratinho e Nada tem a ver com o do mediterraneo.

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  5. O açafrao usado no brasil é outra coisa. É baratinho e Nada tem a ver com o do mediterraneo.

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    Replies
    1. O qual eles se referem é o Açafrão-da-Índia.

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    2. O qual eles se referem é o Açafrão-da-Índia.

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    3. Olá boa tarde senhor você sabe sobre açafrão onde eu posso obter eu preciso muito se você sabe por favor me ajude meu número zap + 966596206793

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  6. Hello,
    We are a company who are willing to export turmeric and other spices and also some grocery items to Brazil and also to other for a reasonable price. If anyone is willing to do business with us, please contact us.

    Name: Sankar Singaravelu
    Company: PS exports and imports
    email : sankarsingaravelus@gmail.com
    mobile: +91 9942788699

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  7. I live in Brazil vitoria santao antao I need saffron if some body where are sale this plz help me

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  8. Eu vivo Brazil vitoria santo antao Eu preciso de açafrão, se alguém sabe sobre isso, onde está a venda, por favor me ajude me mostre este lugar para eu comprar

    ReplyDelete
  9. My whats app no +966596206793
    Meu número zap +966596206793

    ReplyDelete
  10. BIORIENT GMBH, is a company based at Hamburg, Germany. we are exporters of Iranian saffron under the Brand name BIORIENT. The Company is also able to export Iranian saffron in "unbranded" loose condition.

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    Thus, we can guarantee our quality, which is oriented to the high demands of the European food industry.
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    ReplyDelete
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  12. So, after reading this.
    Acafrao i find 8n Brazil is Tumerac.

    Can you fond real Saffron here? I am in Curitiba and have a few recipes that it's essential.

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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