Saffron
Premium Afghan Saffron Threads, 1g Bottle — Raihan Super Negin
Price
$20.00
The Saffron Shop
Saffron for Cooking
Saffron for Cooking — Super Negin · ISO 3632 Cat. I
One grade. Every dish.
Lab-graded Afghan Super Negin threads for pulao, tahdig, paella, risotto, and biryani — bloom ten minutes and taste it in one bite.
Bottles from $20·Free U.S. shipping over $39·30-day money-back Batch-assayed crocin 296.5 — see the lab certificate·dosage calculator →
The dosage ledger — threads per dish
Hand-harvested in Herat, hand-packed in small batches in Lynn, Massachusetts — and strong enough that a little goes a long way: 1 g holds roughly 250 threads, about 15–20 family dishes. Measure by the thread, four servings at a time.
| Dish | Threads | ≈ Pinch | Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kabuli pulaoAfghan — the house dish | 15–20 threads | 1–2 | Recipe → |
| TahdigPersian crisped rice | 12–15 threads | 1–1½ | Recipe → |
| PaellaSpanish — seafood | 12–15 threads | 1–1½ | Recipe → |
| Risotto MilaneseItalian | 10–12 threads | 1 | Recipe → |
| BiryaniHyderabadi | 15–20 threads | 1–2 | Recipe → |
| Desserts & breadsCustards · sholeh zard · buns | 6–10 threads | ½–1 | Bloom in milk |
The one rule Always bloom first. Steep threads 10–15 minutes in warm (never boiling) water or milk before they touch the pot — dry threads surrender only a fraction of their color and aroma. The full blooming method →
Cooking questions, answered
How much saffron should I use per dish?
For four servings: risotto 10–12 threads, paella or tahdig 12–15, kabuli pulao or biryani 15–20, desserts 6–10. A pinch is 8–15 threads. One gram holds about 250 threads — roughly 15–20 family dishes.
Should I bloom saffron in water or milk?
Both work. Warm (not boiling) water for 10–15 minutes suits rice dishes, stews, and sauces; warm milk suits desserts, breads, and creamy dishes. Never add dry threads straight to the pot — blooming is what releases the color and aroma.
Does higher crocin actually matter in cooking?
Yes. Crocin is measured coloring strength — our current batch assays 296.5, well past the 200 that ISO 3632 Category I requires. Higher crocin means fewer threads for the same golden color, so a stronger bottle simply lasts longer.
Which size should a home cook buy?
Cooking with saffron occasionally, start with the 1 g bottle at $20. Cooking weekly, the 3 g ($45) or 5 g ($65) bottles are the better value per gram — and both ship free, since U.S. shipping is free over $39.
Harvested at dawn in Herat. Hand-packed in Lynn. The rest is your recipe.
- ISO 3632 Category ILaboratory-graded
- Hand-harvested HeratAfghanistan
- Free U.S. shippingOn orders over $39
- 30-day guaranteeFull potency, refunded
Saffron
Premium Afghan Saffron Threads, 2g Bottle — Raihan Super Negin
Price
$35.00
Saffron
Premium Afghan Saffron Threads, 3g Bottle — Raihan Super Negin
Price
$45.00
Saffron
Premium Afghan Saffron Threads, 5g Bottle — Raihan Super Negin
Price
$65.00
Saffron
Bulk Afghan Super Negin Saffron Threads, 10g Bottle — Raihan
Price
$99.00
Saffron
Bulk Afghan Super Negin Saffron Threads, 20g Bottle — Raihan
Price
$199.00
Saffron
Bulk Afghan Super Negin Saffron Threads, 50g — Raihan Wholesale
Price
$449.00
Saffron
Bulk Afghan Super Negin Saffron Threads, 100g — Raihan Wholesale
Price
$799.00
Saffron
Wholesale Afghan Super Negin Saffron, 1kg (1000g) — Raihan
Price
$5,999.00
About our saffron
Raihan Saffron is a premium saffron house. We control our saffron from source to packaging — hand-picked at dawn in Herat, Afghanistan and hand-packed in Lynn, Massachusetts. Every lot is laboratory-graded against ISO 3632 Category I and sold as whole, all-red Super Negin threads — never powder, never dyed.
How to use saffron
Use 10 to 15 threads per pot of tea or rice, bloomed in warm water or milk for 5 to 10 minutes before adding. For risotto or paella, use about 1 to 2 pinches (~20 threads) per four servings. Less is more — saffron should warm a dish, not overpower it.
How to store saffron
Store sealed in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Stored well, our saffron keeps full potency for about 24 months — and every bottle is dated, so you always know when it was packed.
Wholesale & foodservice
We ship to restaurants, cafés, tea shops, and specialty grocers across the United States. The 10 g bottle is our most-ordered foodservice size. See our wholesale page for a rate sheet.
Find your bottle
Three ways to start.
For first-timers
The 1 g starter bottle
About 250 threads — enough for 15–20 family meals. The lowest-risk way to taste the difference.
$20Shop 1 g
For weekly cooks
The 3 g kitchen bottle
A full season of rice nights, teas, and desserts — the best balance of value and freshness. Ships free.
$45Shop 3 g
For gifting
The gift bundle
A sealed burgundy-and-gold gift box with a printed how-to-use guide — ready to hand over.
$119Shop gift
Every bottle, compared.
| Bottle | Threads | Makes | Best for | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 g bottle | ~250 | 15–20 meals | First taste | $20 | Shop → |
| 2 g bottle | ~500 | 30–40 meals | Weekly cooking | $35 | Shop → |
| 3 g bottle | ~750 | 45–60 meals | Most popular · ships free | $45 | Shop → |
| 5 g bottle | ~1,250 | 75–100 meals | Households & gifting | $65 | Shop → |
| 10 g bottle | ~2,500 | 150–200 meals | Restaurants & foodservice | $99 | Shop → |
Source to seal
Picked in Herat. Packed in Lynn.
Every bottle in this collection is hand-harvested at dawn in the Herat valley of western Afghanistan, where the high-desert climate produces the longest, deepest-red Super Negin stigmas in the world. Each lot is laboratory-graded against ISO 3632 Category I, then shipped to our small facility in Lynn, Massachusetts, where it is bottled by hand and sent out the same week.
- Hand-harvested at dawn in Herat, Afghanistan
- Laboratory-graded to ISO 3632 Category I
- All-red threads only — never powder, never dyed
- Hand-bottled in Lynn, MA and shipped the same week
Still deciding?
Start with the 1 g bottle — about 250 threads, enough for 15–20 family meals, at the lowest risk.
Buyer questions
The questions we get most.
Which size should I order if I'm new to cooking with saffron?
Start with the 1 g bottle or the 2 g bottle. The 1 g gives you about 250 threads — enough for 15–20 family meals — and is the lowest-risk way to try the brand. The 2 g is what most of our cooks settle into within their first month.
What does "Super Negin" and ISO 3632 Category I mean?
Super Negin is the grade name for long, all-red saffron stigmas with no yellow style attached — the highest visual grade. ISO 3632 Category I is a laboratory standard that measures crocin (color), picrocrocin (bitterness/flavor), and safranal (aroma). Category I is the strongest tier on the scale, and every Raihan lot is tested against it.
How long does saffron last?
Stored sealed, in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight, our saffron retains full potency for about 24 months. The bottle you receive is dated — you'll always know when it was packed.
How much saffron should I use per dish?
About 10–15 threads per pot of rice or tea, bloomed in warm water or milk for 5–10 minutes before adding. For risotto or paella, 1–2 pinches (~20 threads) per 4 servings. Less is more — saffron should warm a dish, not overpower it.
Is the gift bundle ready to give as-is?
Yes — the gift bundle ships in a sealed burgundy-and-gold gift box with a printed how-to-use guide, ready to hand over. We can include a gift note at checkout if you'd like.
How does shipping work?
All orders ship from our Lynn, Massachusetts facility within 1 business day. U.S. shipping is $6.95 and orders over $39 ship free. We also ship to Canada ($16) and the United Kingdom ($26); the free-shipping threshold applies to U.S. orders only.
Do you offer wholesale or restaurant pricing?
Yes — we ship to restaurants, cafés, and tea shops across the U.S. The 10 g bottle is our most-ordered foodservice size. Reach out for a wholesale rate sheet.
What if my bottle doesn't taste right?
Email us within 30 days and we'll refund the bottle or send a replacement — no questions, no return required. Our 30-day potency guarantee is on every order.