Easy Shahi Tukray Recipe

Shahi Tukray is a decadent and classic dessert or a traditional bread pudding or bread dessert. Shahi Tukray is a classic royal dessert made with ghee-fried bread, thickened sweetened milk, and garnished with saffron and nuts. Usually served on festive occasions like Eid ul Adha or Eid ul Fitr.

It is popularly known as shahi tukda or Shahi tukray and is similar to double ka meetha, with a different serving style.

Shahi Tukda VS Double ka Meetha:

There is a slight difference between the shahi tukda and double ka meetha recipes. Double ka meetha involves dipping bread slices in sugar syrup before soaking them in thick milk/rabdi. But in Shahi Tukray, we directly dip fried slices in thickened milk.

We prefer only soaking it with rabdi/thickened sweet milk and do not like the extreme sweetness it has to offer.

How to make Shahi Tukra?

I am aware that this is not the healthiest dessert, but it’s ok to indulge sometimes, especially on the festive occasions of Eid. The best part is that it can be made ahead of time. The longer you leave it, the better it gets. 

3 Steps to Make Shahi Tukray:

This rich and creamy dessert is easy to make and ready in minutes with three simple steps and some handy pantry staples.

• Making sweet bread
• Making the sweetened milk mixture
• Soaking and garnishing of Bread.

1. How to make sweet Bread?

In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla essence, and sugar together. Dip your triangle-shaped bread slices in the egg mixture. Make sure to cover the bread entirely with the mixture. In a pan, add butter/ghee, then fry your soaked bread slices on a medium-low flame from both sides until golden brown.

It is better to cut the corners of the bread while cutting in a triangle shape; it will give them a professional look.

Shahi Tukra recipe with condensed milk:

For the perfect sweetness of your fried bread, you can use the below options:

• White Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Dark brown sugar
• Condensed milk
• Honey

Secret Ingredient: ‘Condensed Milk’

Condensed milk, by eliminating the sugar or honey, helps make the liquid more of a “batter” that will yield extra fluffy and delicious sweet fried bread.

Condensed milk is the secret ingredient! But I use this ingredient only on some special days or on cheat days, or whenever we crave an unhealthy version of bread pudding.

Milk is also an essential ingredient for a rich and creamy flavour. Milk with a higher fat content will make the batter creamier. Whole milk works great, and you can even add a little splash of cream if you want.

Alternatively, you can have French toast for breakfast with this sweet fried bread. On busy weekdays, it might also make a great lunchbox for your kids.

2. Making thickened milk / How to make Rabdi?

All you need to do to make sweetened thickened milk is bring milk to a boil while adding cardamom, sugar, or condensed milk.

After it boils, keep it simmering for 30 minutes or until it turns golden or appears to have thickened and been cut in half. If it doesn’t appear golden but rather thickened, add some saffron or a dash of yellow food colouring to give it a more authentic appearance.

Pour the hot, thickened milk mixture over the fried bread and let them soak it at room temperature.

3. Soaking & garnishing of bread:

Once your slices of bread all get soaked in milk mixture/rabri, keep them refrigerated for a couple of hours. The best part is that it can be made ahead of time. The longer you leave it, the better it gets.

The following day or an hour before serving, in a small bowl, add some thick cream, vanilla essence, and the remaining unsoaked cold milk/rabdi from the dish and beat them together. Pour this thick cream mixture over the fried bread, and make sure to cover all the dishes.

Then garnish your dish with nuts of your choice; I prefer chopped pistachios and almonds with a sprinkle of saffron.

Let it cool again for an hour, then serve it after the fantastic dinner of Chicken Korma, Chapli kababs, or Mutton Kunna.

Variations in Shahi Tukda:

There are several variations of the shahi bread pudding which can be made;

Sweet Bread: For the perfect sweetness of your fried bread, you can use White Sugar Brown sugar, Dark brown sugar, Condensed milk, or Honey.

Milk Mixture/Rabdi: It can either be thickened with condensed milk or evaporated milk.

Soaking of fried bread: Dipping in sugar syrup is optional, and it can be served just by soaking it in thick rabdi.

Types of bread: There are a variety of options for the kind of bread you would like to choose for your Shahi tukra;

I usually make Shahi tukray from white Bread slices, but if you want to go towards the healthier version or want to try something different following loaves of bread can be used;

• French bread
• Brown bread
• Whole grain bread
• Cinnamon raisins bread

Is shahi tukda served hot or cold?

Only my father likes the hot version of Shahi Tukray on a chilly winter evening. You can reheat Rabdi before serving.

But on a hot day, you can refrigerate Shahi Tukda and serve it cold as most family members prefer chilled shahi tukray over hot shahi tukda.

Pro Tips:

• You can add some saffron or a pinch of yellow food colour to the milk mixture to make it look more like an authentic rabdi.
• For making healthy fried bread, you can use Brown sugar,Dark brown sugar or Honey for the sweetness.
• The sweet fried bread can also be served as French Toast directly to the kids for breakfast.
• It can be made beforehand of time. The longer you leave it, the better it gets.
• Ensure not to over-soak the bread slices in the egg mixture before frying the bread; otherwise, it will break.
• Better to cut the corners of the bread while cutting in a triangle shape. It will give them a professional look.
• Ensure not to add the thick cream mixture to the hot milk; otherwise, it will get curd.

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