Recently, an exchange of gifts between internet users and Harbin has sparked a nationwide exploration of agricultural products, uncovering many local specialties that were unknown even to the locals. Among these is saffron, which is abundantly grown in Shanghai. Originating from Iran in the Middle East, saffron was introduced to Tibet during the Han and Jin dynasties and later spread to central China, hence the name “saffron.” In the early 1980s, saffron cultivation began in Shanghai and has since become substantial with considerable production.
Saffron is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). It is typically harvested on sunny mornings in September and October, with the stigmas being removed from the flowers and dried to produce the saffron used in herbal preparations. Saffron is neutral in nature and sweet in taste, targeting the heart and liver meridians. It is known for its ability to promote blood circulation, resolve blood stasis, cool the blood, detoxify, relieve depression, and calm the spirit. It can be used to treat conditions such as amenorrhea, postpartum blood stasis, febrile diseases with rashes, depression, irritability, palpitations, and mania. According to “Compendium of Materia Medica,” saffron treats “depression and stagnation in the heart, improves blood circulation, and with long-term use brings joy to the heart.” Additionally, “Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica” records that saffron “comes from Tibet, looks like a chrysanthemum, and when dried can treat various forms of stagnation.”
Modern research has found that saffron is rich in vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, and other compounds. Its main active ingredients, including crocin, crocetin, and safranal, can increase lactate dehydrogenase activity in cardiac muscle cells under hypoxic conditions, enhancing oxygen metabolism and improving the heart's tolerance to hypoxia. Saffron also promotes bile secretion and excretion, increasing fat metabolism while reducing cholesterol, globulin, and total bilirubin levels, aiding in the treatment of fatty liver, cirrhosis, and other diseases.
Saffron can be consumed in various ways, most commonly by steeping it in water as a tea or combining it with other herbs to make medicinal wine. Using saffron in soups or pilafs is also quite common. Below are some saffron-based dishes. Note that due to its blood-moving properties, those with excessive menstrual bleeding and pregnant women should use it with caution.
Saffron Chicken Soup
Ingredients: 5-6 strands of saffron, 500g chicken, 3 slices of ginger, 3 dates, 3 longan fruits, 10 goji berries.
Instructions: Clean and cut the chicken into pieces, then blanch it. Combine all the ingredients in a pot, add enough water to cover them, and simmer for two hours. Season with salt before serving.
Efficacy: Tones the blood and qi, relieves depression, and calms the spirit.
Saffron Rice
Ingredients: 100g fragrant rice, 30g cooked green peas, 25-30 strands of saffron, chicken broth as needed, turmeric powder, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt to taste.
Instructions: Boil chicken broth, minced garlic, turmeric powder, and lemon juice together, then add washed fragrant rice and salt. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, turn off the heat, add green peas and saffron, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Efficacy: Nourishes the blood and promotes circulation.
Saffron Baked Fish
Ingredients: 1 sea bass, 30-35 strands of saffron, olive oil, salt, black pepper, lemon juice.
Instructions: Clean the fish, pat dry, and season both sides with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice; marinate for 10 minutes. Soak half the saffron strands briefly in warm water, remove, and mix with olive oil until well combined. Place the marinated fish on a baking tray and evenly coat with the saffron-infused olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked. Sprinkle the remaining saffron over the fish before serving.
Efficacy: Tones the qi and blood, cools the blood, and resolves stasis.
Editor: Zhang Jing