Description
Shahi Tukda is a luxurious Mughlai dessert featuring fried bread slices soaked in a fragrant, cardamom and saffron-infused reduced milk cream. This rich, aromatic treat, garnished with almonds and optionally silver leaf, is traditionally served chilled and makes for an exquisite finale to any special meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Flavor Infusion
- ¼ tsp saffron strands
- 7 cardamom pods, seeds removed
- 1 tsp caster sugar (for grinding with cardamom)
- few drops rose water
Bread and Frying
- 4 slices white bread, medium thickness, 2 days old
- sunflower oil, for shallow frying
Milk Base
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- 75g caster sugar
- 125ml double cream
Garnish
- 1 tbsp almonds, chopped
- silver leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Soak Saffron: Place the saffron strands in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of warm water and let it soak for 1 hour to release its color and aroma.
- Prepare Cardamom Sugar: Grind the cardamom seeds together with 1 teaspoon caster sugar using a pestle and mortar until fine powder is formed.
- Prepare Bread: Remove crusts from the bread slices and cut each slice in half diagonally to create triangular pieces.
- Fry Bread: Pour sunflower oil into a deep frying pan to a depth of about 2cm and heat it over medium until it reaches 180°C or until a cube of bread browns in about 30 seconds. Fry the bread slices in batches until golden brown on both sides. Drain them on kitchen paper and set aside.
- Reduce Milk: In a wok or karahi, heat the full-fat milk with the ground cardamom sugar mixture over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and bring it to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until the milk is reduced by half (about 15 minutes).
- Mix Cream and Flavorings: Take a ladleful of hot reduced milk and combine it with double cream in a bowl. Pour this mixture back into the reduced milk pan. Stir in the soaked saffron along with its water and add enough rose water to impart a gentle floral note.
- Soften Fried Bread in Milk Mixture: Add the fried bread pieces into the creamy milk mixture in a single layer (in batches if needed). Warm gently over low heat for 2-3 minutes to soften the bread, then use a slotted spoon to remove the bread and arrange it on a serving plate in a single layer.
- Reduce Remaining Milk: Increase heat to medium and continue to simmer the milk left behind in the pan, stirring constantly, until it thickens to the consistency of double cream.
- Cool and Assemble: Let the thickened milk cool and thicken further for 15 minutes. Spoon this creamy milk generously over the arranged fried bread.
- Chill the Dessert: Place the assembled Shahi Tukda in the refrigerator and chill overnight to allow the bread to fully absorb the creamy milk mixture and soften beautifully.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, sprinkle chopped almonds and optionally decorate with silver leaf for an extravagant finish. Serve chilled for the best taste experience.
Notes
- Use slightly stale bread as it absorbs the milk mixture better without becoming too soggy.
- Reducing the milk properly is crucial to get the rich, creamy texture essential for authentic Shahi Tukda.
- Adjust the quantity of rose water carefully as it can be overpowering; a few drops are enough to add floral fragrance.
- Silver leaf is optional but adds a royal touch for special occasions.
- Ensure oil temperature for frying is about 180°C to achieve crisp golden bread without absorbing excess oil.
- Chilling overnight enhances the flavor and softens the bread perfectly.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mughlai, Indian
Keywords: Shahi Tukda, Indian dessert, Mughlai dessert, fried bread dessert, saffron dessert, cardamom flavored dessert
