I’m honoured to to be able to try out some spices that I recently received from Sunit Dattani of Regency Spices Hong kong. One of spices that I most wanted to try is Saffron. It is the most expensive spice in the world, due to the delicate and time consuming means of harvesting the fine threads. I’ve made use of the saffron into a lovely easy dessert, Saffron Poached Pears. These sweet and tender poached pears look beautiful as the saffron releases the golden yellow colour tones during poaching. On top of this, the poached pears were delicious with a slight scent of honey. I also sprinkled some chopped pistachio nuts before serving not only to impress my guest with a nice presentation but also a give little crunch to the soft poached pears.
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Regency’s story began in 1951, as the family business was the first to import East African Spices to the local Indian marketplace. Over the decades, they explored the rest of the world’s natural riches and trade routes to uncover modern spice favourites such as Cloves and Star Anise, as well as other ingredients such as Gum and Raisins. These cooking ingredients were transported across the seas by the ton, crossing international borders and finally being distributed throughout India, where many have now become household and industry staples. As the years passed, the Company gradually partnered with more and more local producers to source ever more products such as Saffron, often uncovering better varieties of each one.
Recently, the company has started a premium line of spices directly for the home cook. This curated selection offers far more appealing flavours, aromas and colours, and represents a compilation of the 60+ years of experience that the family history has uncovered. Each spice is carefully sourced to be the highest quality attainable, 100% natural, pure, free from flavourings and grown in the current season. The spices are sold in their whole form to retain maximum freshness and flavour. Regency’s spice partners also ensure that their top produce comes to Regency first. As a result, their spices taste and smell much fresher and fragrant than your ordinary spices, and almost always much better than what you would find in their local street markets!
Regency still uses traditional decade old techniques of cultivating, processing and preparing spices – resulting in a natural product that has been a niche industry secret since they began trading.
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Poached Pears with Saffron
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Ann Low
Recipe type: Easy
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
- ½ tsp Saffron threads
- 700ml Water
- 175g Sugar
- 2 slices Young ginger
- lemon zest from one lemon
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 4-5 medium size firm pears, peeled with stalks left on
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger and saffron in a medium size pot. Turn up heat and stirring until sugar dissolves. Peel pears with stalks left on and into the saffron liquid and cover with lid. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until pears are tender but not mushy. (test pear with a skewer).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Increase heat and boil poaching liquid reduce to almost half.
- Pour syrup over pears, leave to cool and chill for few hours or till next day.
- To serve, place poached pear on serving plate, drizzle over a little saffron syrup and garnish with some chopped pistachio nuts.
3.5.3251
翻红花烩香梨
*这是我第一次用番红花烩香梨，很喜欢这股自然蜂蜜的青香味，口感独特，最适合当饭后甜点。
- 材料：
- 1/2茶匙 藏红花
- 700毫升 水
- 175克 白糖
- 2片 嫩姜
- 1粒 柠檬皮屑
- 3汤匙 柠檬汁
- 4-5颗 香梨 （中型，要买结实的香梨果肉）
做法：
- 将水，糖，柠檬皮屑，柠檬汁，姜片和藏红花放入一个中型锅里。大火煮滚搅至糖融化后转小火。
- 洗净香梨去皮保留茎，直接放入藏红花水中。盖上锅盖一小火微微沸腾的状态焖煮越30-40分钟直到梨肉刚刚变软即可（可用竹签扎入试软度）。期间给梨尧汁翻身，让梨充分浸泡在汤汁中。
- 用汤匙轻轻把梨取出放在一个大碗中。继续将锅中的汤汁用中火煮至浓缩到越一半，然后倒入梨的大碗中，待冷却。然后放进冰箱冷藏数小时或以上使梨更入味。
- 将梨放入盘中，淋上适量的汤汁，撒上些开心果碎做点缀即可享用。
- 想了解多一点翻红花可看这里
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