Recipe card
Indian bread pudding
Shahi Tukra or Double Ka Meetha is a Mughlai dessert traditionally made during the month of Ramadan for Iftar meals and Eid. It is also prepared for Diwali parties nowadays. Shahi means Royal in Persian, tukda or tukra in Hindi, and Urdu means a piece. So, it translates to a royal piece of dessert, and it truly is. Bread or pav is even called double roti in Hyderabad, and thus, this dessert is also known as Double ka meetha. The milk is first thickened and flavored with saffron and cardamom to make rabri (rabdi). Bread slices are pan or deep-fried in ghee and dipped in sugar syrup. The toasted bread slices are then topped with rabri and garnished with pistachios. Check out our popular Diwali recipes and Eid dawat recipes.
Ingredients
Bread: Use the best quality bread for good results. For a strong, nutty aroma, go for whole-grain bread. Otherwise, simply use plain white bread slices. Ghee: pan fry or deep fry with ghee only for the richest and best flavors. Milk: Full-fat whole milk is used and preferred. Spices: Saffron and cardamom powder are used for the traditional aroma. Cashew: Used along with milk to make the rabdi. Shortcut and the best way to thicken the milk and give an amazing taste. Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Making of rabdi (rabri)
In a mixie jar or blender, add sugar and cardamom and blend to smooth powder. To this, add cashews, saffron, ¼ cup milk, and blend it to a smooth paste. In a pot or pan on a medium flame, add all the remaining milk and cashew paste and mix well. Simmer and let it reduce to half. Keep stirring, scrape the sides, and put it back into the mixture. This may take about 20 to 25 minutes. Switch off the flame. Keep this aside.
Making of sugar syrup
Add sugar, water, and saffron strands. Bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture reaches one-string consistency.
Toast the bread
Remove the brown edges and cut the bread diagonally into triangles. You can deep fry them in ghee. I smeared each slice with ghee and toasted it in tava (skillet) on both sides until crisp and golden brown.
Making of the bread pudding (shahi tukra)
Dip each toasted bread slices in sugar syrup and arrange them on a serving plate. Just before you are ready to serve, pour the rabri (rabdi) as needed and garnish it with pistachios and saffron. Serve shahi tukda warm or chilled. When not serving, rabdi can be kept in the refrigerator.
Tips
To make the rabdi (rabri) instead of cashews, soaked and peeled almonds, condensed milk, or heavy cream can also be used.
More milk-based desserts
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
