Shahi Tukda recipe with step by step photos and video. Shahi Tukda is a royal dessert; golden fried sugar coated bread slices are dipped in rich , creamy sweetened milk garnished with nuts.
Similar milk based desserts on blog are rabri , rasmalai , basundi and kesar badam milk
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About this recipe
Shahi Tukda is a rich royal Mughlai dessert . Shahi means royal and tukda means piece. It gets directly translated has royal piece. Though few refer Shahi Tukda to double ka meetha , there is slight difference between the two.
To make shahi tukda in traditional way , deep frying of bread in ghee is must . Also rabri or creamy sweet condensed milk will be comparatively thinner when compared to laccha rabri ( thick layered rabri) .
Crispy fried bread are dipped in sugar syrup , arranged on a serving plate with chilled rabri , garnished with nuts.
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Variations
Bread : To get that traditional taste , I have used white bread here. But you can use any kind of bread like whole wheat , multigrain or millet breads. Needless to mentions tastes best with plain white bread.
Frying : Deep frying bread is ghee is authentic way to do but here I have pan fried it with ghee. Fry bread evenly till its crisp and golden in color.
Almonds and cashew paste can be added to milk while making rabri. It not only helps to thicken milk but also gives intense richness to the dessert. But traditionally, cashes and almond paste is not added.
If in hurry and have no time to make rabri. As a short cut method , you can use store brought condensed milk , mix it with full cream milk . And then garnish, flavor with cardamom and nuts.
Tips to make traditional Shahi Tukda
I recommend using generous pinch of saffron to rabri. Along with color it adds depth of flavors to the dessert.
Also using rose water in this recipe adds a hint of refreshing fragrance and flavor. I insist on using rose water. If premium quality rose water is not available, use JUST ONLY 1 DROP of rose essence or 1 drop kewra essence for flavors. Incase if you add more , definitely it will overpower and ruin the dessert.
Sugar Syrup : For every 1 cup sugar take ½ cup water , this is the ratio to make sugar syrup. Though 1 string sugar syrup is the consistency required for this recipe. Its not very crucial here. Once sugar dissolves completely and starts to boil , turn off the stove. Sugar syrup would be just fine.
I always prefer to make sugar syrup in wider pan for this recipe . So that sugar syrup is spread widely and fried bread can be arranged over the syrup rather than dipping it completely in the sugar solution.
This way , you can ensure that bread is just coated with syrup and not drenched completely. If it is soaked more , fried bread may turn out more soggy.
Step by step directions to make Shahi Tukda
To make Rabri
Take a saucepan or thick bottom kadai, add 1 teaspoon of ghee and swirl so that ghee /clarified butter coats saucepan. This is done to avoid scorching of milk from bottom.
Add 1 litre of full fat whole milk boil the milk, when milk starts to froth and rises on stop. Regulate the flame to low.
In half way , add 12-15 strands of saffron , 1 clove in it and continue to boil , stirring milk for every 6-8 minutes from bottom.
Milk froths often and forms a layer of cream on top.
Scrape the edges of saucepan/ kadai and add cream back to boiling milk.
Around 1hour, milk reduces to ½ quantity.
Add sugar, nuts, rose water and cardamom powder.
Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Until sugar dissolves completely . Refrigerate and chill until serving
Chill in refrigerator for a few hours before serving with sugar coated fried bread.
To Fry Bread
Trim all 4 edges of bread and remove the brown part of bread. Cut bread diagonally or into rectangles.
Trim all 4 edges of bread and remove the brown part of bread. Cut bread diagonally or into rectangles.
Heat required amount of ghee either to deep fry or shallow fry or pan fry, its up to your choice. Add bread pieces and fry on both sides on medium heat until crisp and golden.
Remove fried bread on paper lined plate and set aside till use.
To make Sugar Syrup
Preferably take a wide pan and add ⅓ cup of sugar , 5-6 tablespoon of water , ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and bring it boil.
When sugar reaches 1 string consistency, turn off the stove.
Arrange fried bread over sugar syrup, let it sit for just 15 to 20 seconds. Now turn bread to the other side and allow other side also to coat with sugar syrup for 15 seconds.
If you soak for more seconds, it may absorb more sugar syrup and may turn out soggy. So be sure to remove after 15 to 20 seconds. Remove immediately with help of tongs and place on a plate gently.
To assemble
Arrange sugar coated bread on a serving plate , pour chilled rabri over it , top with chopped nuts and serve.
Recipe Card
Shahi Tukda Recipe
Ingredients
For Rabri
- 1 teaspoon ghee / clarified butter
- 1 litre full fat whole milk
- 2 tablespoon sugar or add as required
- 12 to 15 saffron strands
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 clove - optional ( discard clove before serving)
- Pinch of nutmeg grated
- 1 teaspoon rose water or kewra water or 1-2 drops of rose essence
- 2 tablespoon almonds slivered
- 2 tablespoon pistachios slivered
To Fry Bread
- 6 bread slices - white, wheat or multigrain
- Ghee / Clarified Butter as required to fry
For Sugar Syrup
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 5 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
To make Rabri
- Take a saucepan or thick bottom kadai, add 1 teaspoon of ghee and swirl so that ghee /clarified butter coats saucepan. This is done to avoid scorching of milk from bottom.
- Add 1 litre of full fat whole milk boil the milk, when milk starts to froth and rises on stop. Regulate the flame to low.
- In half way , add 12-15 strands of saffron , 1 clove in it and continue to boil , stirring milk for every 6-8 minutes from bottom.
- Milk froths often and forms a layer of cream on top.
- Scrape the edges of saucepan/ kadai and add cream back to boiling milk.
- Around 1hour, milk reduces to ½ quantity.
- Add sugar, saffron soaked in milk, rose water and cardamom powder.
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers.
- Chill in refrigerator for a few hours before serving with sugar coated fried bread.
To Fry Bread
- Trim all 4 edges of bread and remove the brown part of bread. Cut bread diagonally or into rectangles.
- Heat required amount of ghee either to deep fry or shallow fry or pan fry, its upto your choice. Add bread pices and fry on both sides on medium heat until crisp and golden.
- Remove fried bread on paper lined plate and set aside till use.
To make Sugar Syrup
- Preferably take a wide pan and add ⅓ cup of sugar , 5-6 tablespoon of water , ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and bring it boil.
- When sugar reaches 1 string consistency, turn off the stove.
- Arrange fried bread over sugar syrup, let it sit for just 15 to 20 seconds. Now turn bread to the other side and allow other side also to coat with sugar syrup for 15 seconds.
- If you soak for mor seconds, it may absorb more sugar syrup and may turn out soggy. So be sure to remove after 15 to 20 seconds.
- Remove immediately with help of tongs and place on a plate gently.
To assemble
- Arrange sugar coated bread on a serving plate , pour chilled rabri over it , top with chopped nuts and serve.
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