Spice Guide

Consistency and quality control have been a hallmark of Patak's Foods since the company was founded. The flavor of Patak's® products is heavily dependent on the quality and freshness of the herbs and spices used and as such Kirit Pathak personally supervises their selection and importation from India and around the world.

It is the grinding process that releases aromatic oils from spices and these oils create the delicious flavors of Indian cuisine. Once ground, the flavors of the volatile oils fade rapidly.

With that in mind, one of the many things that set Patak's apart from other manufacturers is that the whole spices are ground at the point of manufacture to ensure freshness of flavor is retained.

Some herbs & spices commonly used in Indian cooking:

Saffron, Zafraan

As its production still depends heavily on manual labor, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and often called "The Golden Spice". Ounce for ounce saffron is more expensive than gold.

Saffron is actually the dried stigma of the saffron crocus. It takes over 75,000 crocuses to produce five pounds of stigmas, which after being toasted, yield merely one pound of saffron. It is no wonder then that saffron is such an expensive spice!

Saffron crocuses are native to the Mediterranean and to Western Asia, but production has now shifted such that Spain is now the main producer of saffron. It is said that at harvest time on the plain of La Mancha, a heady, sensual aroma explodes around you as the stigmas are toasted.

Saffron has a mesmerizing aroma: it is distinctly rich and musky with amiable honeyed trails. The taste of this spice is very delicate, warm, penetrating and slightly bitter. It adds a brilliant golden yellow color to dishes.

The use of saffron is very much a part of Indian "Moghlai" cuisine and is often used in biryanis (a biryani is a rice based-dish cooked in a sealed vessel).

The spice is heavily used for its coloring properties, especially in rice and in many Indian desserts such as "kheer" (Indian rice pudding) and “kulfi” (ice cream) since it lends the dish a grander look when entertaining.

Did you know?

Saffron has always been expensive and, therefore, open to adulteration. In the Middle Ages, punishment for this crime was extreme - in 1444, a German named Findeker was ordered to be burned at the stake for adulterating the spice.