Even after waiting in long lines at weddings and special occasions, getting shahi tukda is worth it. But why don’t you skip the hassle and get the taste of authentic shahi tukda from the comfort of your home? Its rich texture and taste can make you think it’s difficult to make, but with this recipe, you can whip up the royal dessert in just an hour.
Shahi tukda, the word literally means of a piece of royalty. The crowning jewel of Mughal and Hyderabadi cuisine, shahi tukda, has been one of the most indulgent and rich desserts of all time. The recipe can be traced back to the royal kitchens of the Mughal era, where the chefs tried to make the most of thickened milk and the humble loaf of bread.
Contrary to Western bread pudding recipes, shahi tukda does feature bread slices, but boasts their crunchy texture once fried. Dipped in a freshly made sugar syrup, the crispy bread slices are then served with sweetened rabri to give you a soul-pleasing dessert. Generously garnished with chopped nuts like almonds and pistachios, and some silver vark is what makes the traditional Indian sweet truly royal.
Take a heavy-bottomed kadhai and boil the milk. Let it simmer and keep moving the layers of cream forming on the top to the side. Continue the process till the milk is reduced to one-third of its original quantity.
Once you reach the stage with a thicker consistency of milk, add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron strands. Stir gently and let the mixture cook. After about five minutes, turn off the heat and let the thickened milk cool.
In the meantime, prepare the sugar syrup by mixing sugar, crushed cardamom pods, and water. Boil the mixture on a medium flame and get to a sticky consistency. Once the chashni starts to coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat. Otherwise, hard crystals will start to form. Stir in rose water while the heat is turned off and set aside.
Next, take the bread slices and cut their edges. Cut them into triangles and deep fry or air fry as per your preference. Just make sure the slices are crunchy and golden brown on both sides. If you have deep-fried, drain the excess oil.
Now that all parts of the recipe are ready, you can start assembling your dessert. Dip the fried slices of bread into the sugar syrup and let them sit for about ten to fifteen seconds. Transfer the sugar-soaked bread slices to a platter.
Pour the thickened milk, aka rabri, over the sugar-soaked bread slices. Pour a generous amount of rabri to cover the bread slices, but make sure to leave the crispy corners peeking out.
Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios to make the dessert richer. If you’re feeling extra fancy, apply a thin layer of the silver foil.
Shahi tukda tastes well both hot and cold. As per your liking, you can serve the dessert immediately or after chilling in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
1 Making rabri from scratch to make shahi tukda is truly a patience-testing step. Not only does the simmering process take time, but the scrubbing also tests your patience. To prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom, use the TTK Prestige Tri-Ply Splendor Kadhai. With its three layers made with stainless steel and an aluminium core, the heat is distributed evenly, making the cooking process seamless.
2 For frying the bread slices, you can use any of the air fryers by TTK Prestige. With minimal use of oil, you’ll get the crispiest bread in no time.
3 If you’re opting for the deep-frying method, you can use TTK Prestige Hard Anodised Kadhai. It’s non-toxic, non-staining bottom conducts heat fast, turning your bread golden quickly without soaking excess oil.
4 As for making the sugar syrup, you need a pan that distributes heat evenly to prevent the sugar solution from crystallising. With a unique “Impact Forged Bottom” of TTK Prestige’s Platina Saucepan, you can make perfectly consistent chashni on the first go.
The essence of shahi tukda comes from the crispy bread. If you let the fried bread pieces soak in the chashni for a little longer, the slices turn soggy. Also, make sure the bread is fried crisp before dipping.
Skim milk or regular versions can be used, but the best way to get a thick and rich rabri is to use full-fat milk. Since the low-fat milk takes a long time to reduce, the rabri is not as indulgent.
Traditionally, shahi tukda uses fried slices of bread. If you want to make the recipe healthier, you can toast or for the perfect crunch, air-fry the slices.
Copyright © 2025, My Kitchen Diaries .All Rights Reserved
