Any Indian food lover, especially those who have a sweet tooth, will have definitely tasted this amazing dessert at some point in their lives. This sinfully rich dish has paved its way down the Mughal era, with its route passing through the courts of the nawabs and royal households too, which is why it has an important place in wedding menus and is also very popular during the Ramzan festival, second only to the amazing sheer khurma. This elaborate-looking dish is actually very simple to make, needing just a few ingredients. Many families have their own version of this dish. Some serve it chilled, some at room temperature. Even the way it is served varies from region to region.
The Hyderabadi people call it Double Ka Meetha, because of a type of milk bread that they use which literally swells to double its volume when soaked. The bread is always fried first till golden and then soaked in a warm saffron syrup. Once the bread slightly softens up, it is topped with a rich rabri and nuts. This wonderful marriage of flavours, which is a sheer delight in gastronomy, is India’s delicious answer to the bread pudding of the Western world.
The simpler Sindhi version of this dessert is known as chash ji dabroti. It was a standard once-a-week dish in our home during winters, which my mom made on most Saturdays. Basically the bread was fried until golden, then dunked in a warm sugar syrup flavoured with saffron and cardamoms. My grandmother, Amma, loved this dish so much that she always asked for second helpings, with me not far behind. The Sindhi version does not include rabri.
Today I will share with you my version of the recipe. Enjoy it, though this rich dessert will make calorie-conscious people think twice. Do try a small portion.
Shahi Tukde
Ingredients for the Rabri
- 750 ml milk
- 200 ml sweet condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Method to Make Rabri
- Boil the milk, condensed milk, and cardamom powder together and simmer till the quantity has reduced to half, stirring in between.
- We want a concoction which is thick but not dry. Shut the fire, cool the reduced milk, and then add 1/2 tsp rose essence.
- Keep aside. This can be made ahead of time and kept covered in the refrigerator.
Ingredients for Sugar Syrup
- 500 ml hot water
- 100 gms sugar
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp saffron strands, soaked
Method
- Boil the water, cardamom powder, and soaked saffron till it reduces by almost half. Keep warm.
Ingredients for the Bread Base
- 6 slices white bread, cut into 4 pieces each
- Oil or ghee to fry the bread
- 2 tbsps pure ghee
Method to Fry and Assemble
- Heat oil or ghee in a wok. I use oil and add 2 tbsps of ghee for flavour.
- Deep fry the bread pieces until golden and put them onto a flat plate.
- Pour the saffron syrup over the bread. Once the bread soaks up the syrup, transfer to a serving dish.
- Use half the bread pieces first, top with rabri and nuts, then top again with the remaining bread pieces.
- Garnish with more nuts, rose petals, and silver varkh.
- Serve at room temperature or cold and enjoy.