In this traditional Indian festive recipe, bread slices are fried to golden perfection in ghee and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. These soaked bread pieces are then layered with rich, sweetened, and thickened milk known as Rabdi or Rabri. Shahi Toast is garnished with an assortment of nuts, saffron strands, and sometimes rose petals, enhancing its flavor and visual appeal. Served hot or cold, Shahi Tukray is an indulgent dessert that captures the essence of royal Indian cuisine, making it perfect for celebratory occasions like Eid, Diwali, or weddings. In contrast, Double ka Meetha is a South Indian (Hyderabadi) dessert made by soaking non-fried bread cubes in sugar syrup, then topping them with condensed milk and cream before baking, which gives the bread a fluffier texture. Both desserts share similarities in ingredients, taste, and presentation, but differ in preparation techniques. Heavy Cream or Full-Fat Milk: To make a rich and creamy Rabdi, use heavy whipping cream or full-fat whole milk. Evaporated milk is a good alternative as well. Sweetener: I used regular white sugar, but you can choose any sweetener. Condensed milk, Mithaimate, or Milkmaid work well as substitutes. Spices: Cardamom powder (or green cardamom pods), ground nutmeg, saffron, and cloves add authentic flavors to this Indian bread pudding. Nuts: Garnish with chopped or slivered almonds, cashews, and pistachios for a crunchy, nutty texture. You can also add raisins for extra sweetness. Rose Water: Adds a delicate floral aroma and balances the sweetness of Shahi Toast. Kewra essence is a good alternative. Ghee: Essential for making Nawabi Shahi Tukda! The bread is fried, baked, or air-fried in ghee, and it’s also used in the Rabri for added richness.
This rich Shahi Tukda dessert is a staple for Iftar, Ramadan, and Eid celebrations, and is also perfect for Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals or special occasions. Shahi ka Tukda is a crowd-pleaser for parties, dinners, birthdays, date nights, brunches, and potlucks. Save this Shahi Tukra recipe!
