Shahi Tukda – Indian bread pudding

Shahi Tukda is a wonderful treat for those special sweet cravings or when you want to prepare something unique yet exotic to your family and guests. It has a rich creamy flavor coming from the nuts and saffron along with a soft and melt-in-your-mouth bread that is fried and drenched with the milk syrup. This is one of the to-try recipes that you have to prepare 😀

I have also shared my rasmalai recipe already where I have prepared the rabdi. This recipe uses the same rabdi and you might as well check out sweet jamun recipe using sweet potato.

To make the fried bread:

Bread pieces – 5 pieces (remove the brown edges if desired)

Oil/butter/ghee – 2 tbsp

To make rabdi/milk syrup:

Milk – 1 litre

Sugar – ½ cup

Almonds – 1 tbsp (roughly chopped)

Pistachios – 1 tbsp (roughly chopped)

Saffron strands – few

Green Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Make rabdi:

1. Take a big kadai/skillet preferably with a heavy-base and add 1 litre milk to it. Let it come to a boil.
2. Simmer and add the sugar, almonds, pista, saffron and green cardamom powder. Let it simmer on the lowest flame possible for about 30 minutes or until it reduces to about half in volume. Make sure to keep stirring it occasionally to avoid burning it.
3. Remove from heat and let it rest till warm.

Making the fried bread:

1. Heat a tawa or flat-pan and on medium-low heat, fry the bread till they turn golden and crisp. Apply some ghee or oil over them on both sides.
2. Make sure the bread is very crisp and not soft, it has to be crisp to not get soggy once the syrup is added.
3. Set aside.

Making the shahi tukda:

1. In the serving plate, first place the fried bread in the manner you desire.
2. On this, pour the warm milk syrup or rabdi until all the bread is well coated with it.
3. Sprinkle more nuts on top and serve warm or chilled.

Note: It is very important to keep stirring the rabdi or else the liquid will burn at the bottom.

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