Saffron.  Kesar is yellow-orange stigmas of a purple flower and is very strong sweet smelling. In India it is used in sweets, sweet rice etc dishes. Since it is sweet smelling, it is used in Ubatan also to keep the body sweet smelled. It is very expensive ($500 a pound) and has a very strong smell, that it is used very little and only by rich people. About 15,000 flowers are needed to get one ounce saffron because only three stamens are in one flower. The tiny red threads of saffron must be handpicked from the center of the crocus flower. They leave behind the yellow stamens which have no taste. This spice comes either powdered or in threads (the whole stigmas). Store it in a container away from sunlight. If stored properly, it will last for years

One may use it in the following ways --
(1) for every teaspoon of saffron, add 3 teaspoons of liquid; using a spoon make sure that the saffron threads get properly soaked (do not crush the threads). Let the saffron soak for a minimum of two hours. The mixture can be left soaking for as long as twelve hours, but two hours will give you the proper results. The leaves will expand to 1 1/2 times their dry size. Take out the leaves and mix the colored water in the dish you wan to add it.
(2) add 5 teaspoons of liquid for every teaspoon of saffron; let soak for 20 minutes. Using the back of a spoon or in your ceramic mortar, mash the threads so that a thick paste is formed. You can then add the paste to the dish when required. Do not use wooden utensils when mixing saffron. Wood utensils tend to absorb saffron easily and you do not want to waste saffron like this.