Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Shahi Tukda

Hyderabadi dessert of ghee-fried white bread soaked in saffron syrup and topped with thick rabri and almonds.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 6 slices white bread (slightly stale)
• 1 liter whole milk
• 150 g sugar
• 100 ml water
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 4 cardamom pods
• 100 g ghee
• 50 g almonds
• 40 g pistachios
• 1 tsp rose water

Instructions

1. Cut the crusts off the white bread, halve each slice diagonally and leave the triangles uncovered for 30 minutes to dry out further; cut the almonds and pistachios into slivers.
2. For the rabri, reduce the whole milk uncovered in a wide pot for 35–40 minutes to about a third of its volume, stirring every 5 minutes and folding in the milk skin, then stir in 50 g sugar and half the saffron.
3. For the syrup, cook the remaining sugar with the water, the rest of the saffron and the crushed cardamom seeds for 5 minutes until slightly sticky, then remove from the heat.
4. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the bread triangles in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp, then drain briefly on paper towels.
5. Dip the hot bread pieces individually in the syrup for 20 seconds — no longer, or they will turn soggy — and arrange them close together on a flat platter.
6. Stir the rose water into the cooled rabri, pour over the bread, sprinkle with almonds and pistachios, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.