Saffron is one of the most common spices of mediaeval cookery. It is an essential ingredient of risotto Milanese and many Spanish rice dishes such as the traditional paella valenciana. It is also widely used in Indian cookery, especially in rice dishes.
Saffron comes from the stigmas of a variety of crocus flower, native to Asia and parts of Europe. It is available either as the dried stigma threads or as a powder. The former may be ground, crumbed, or used whole before being mixed with the hot stock or liquid called for in a recipe, while the powder is simply infused in the liquid. Ground turmeric is not a substitute for saffron, the flavour being quite different, even though it is often used to give a golden hue to rice. Turmeric may replace the saffron for a yellow rice.