Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Shahi Tukda
A decadent Mughlai dessert made of ghee-fried bread slices soaked in sugar syrup and smothered in thick, creamy, saffron rabdi.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- white bread slices
- ghee (for deep frying)
- sugar
- water
- full-fat milk
- cardamom powder
- saffron strands
- almonds
- pistachios
- rose water
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Heavy-bottomed pot
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Rabdi
Boil full-fat milk in a wide, heavy pan. Simmer and stir continuously until it reduces to half its volume, becoming thick and creamy.
- 2
Flavor Rabdi
Add a little sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron strands to the thickened milk. Let it cool slightly.
- 3
Prepare Sugar Syrup
In a separate pot, boil sugar and water to a 1-string consistency. Flavor it with rose water and cardamom. Keep it warm.
- 4
Cut the Bread
Cut the crusts off the white bread slices. Cut each slice diagonally to form triangles.
- 5
Heat Ghee
Heat a generous amount of pure ghee in a flat frying pan.
- 6
Fry the Bread
Deep fry or shallow fry the bread triangles in the ghee on medium heat.
- 7
Achieve the Crunch
Fry until the bread is incredibly crispy and deep golden brown on both sides. (Do not burn them).
- 8
Soak in Syrup
Remove the crispy bread, drain excess ghee for a second, and immediately dip it into the warm sugar syrup.
- 9
Quick Dip
Do not leave them in the syrup. Dip them for just 10 seconds per side so they absorb the sweetness but retain their crunch.
- 10
Arrange
Place the syrup-soaked bread triangles on a serving platter.
- 11
Pour the Rabdi
Generously pour the thick, creamy Rabdi over the bread slices, smothering them completely.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Garnish heavily with slivered almonds and pistachios. Serve immediately while the bread still has a crunch against the soft cream.
Cooking Tips
- Frying the bread in ghee is non-negotiable for the authentic royal taste. Oil will not give the same flavor.
- The sugar syrup must be warm, but not boiling hot, or the bread will disintegrate.
Variations
- Double Ka Meetha: A very similar Hyderabadi dessert where the bread is baked or cooked down into a softer pudding consistency.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Literally translates to 'Royal Piece'. A spectacular dessert born in the courts of the Mughal Empire.
Nutrition Estimate
420 calories · 7g protein · 50g carbs · 22g fat · 2g fiber per serving
