The expense of saffron is overblown. You really don't need much for entire dishes. A few strands of saffron can flavor and color a whole pot of rice, enough for

The expense of saffron is overblown. You really don't need much for entire dishes. A few strands of saffron can flavor and color a whole pot of rice, enough for six people. A gram of saffron might have dozens of strands! You have to use it properly - grind it in a mortar/pestle with some hot water, and then use the aromatic water in your cooking. This method gets much more of the flavor out. Many cultures that grow saffron, they themselves use safflower and lower grades of saffron to add just color, if not flavor - without breaking the bank.