Traditional Shahi Tukda (Hyderabadi and Delhi Style)

Shahi Tukda or Shahi Tukra - is an traditional royal Mughlai sweet dish significantly made by deep frying the bread slices. The fried bread slices are dunked in saffron flavour sugar syrup followed by the topping of lustrous rabdi or milk cream. A simple, easy and one of the best Indian desserts that you must try! Here is how to make shahi tukda recipe  step by step in Delhi Jama Masjid Style and Hyderabadi style.

The richness and deliciousness trickles down in every bite of shahi tukda that you take in. I will have to say this, even though the recipe involves few preparations, the making of it is pretty simple and easy.

You may have seen the addition of food colour to the sugar syrup to give deep orange colour to the Shahi Tukda. Here, in my recipe I have avoided using colour as the saffron itself gives the best colour and exotic flavour to the dish.

In today's time, you will find people opting out to make shahi tukda recipe with condensed milk/milkmaid. Indeed that will be an instant sweet dish recipe version as it involves no reducing of milk by simmering it for long duration. However, during the Mughal reign, only rabdi or unsweetened milk cream were used to top the fried bread.

Quintessentially, the Double ka Meetha is a Hyderabadi sweet dish similar to shahi tukray recipe. But, double ka meetha overall has slight different texture and flavour. It also differs a bit in cooking method as well.

Shahi Tukda

Shahi = Royal and Tukda = Piece. Another name of the dessert is 'shahi toast'

Originating straight from the Nawabi cuisine, shahi tukra is one remarkable dessert that needs no special introduction. In todays' time, it is highly associated with wedding receptions, parties, Ramadan Iftar and festivals like Eid-ul-fitr/Eid-ul-adha or Diwali.

In northern India especially UP, the making of Shahi Tukda dessert traditionally involves deep frying the thick white bread slices in pure ghee. The thickness of the bread is at least approx 1 inch, infact even more than an inch.

The crisp bread slices are then soaked in saffron and cardamom flavoured sugar syrup. Dressed with thick milk cream or reduced milk (rabdi), nuts and silver wark, shahi tukda is is simply heaven.

The real taste of the Shahi Tukra comes from the meld of sweet bread and thick layer of milk cream. It would be fascinating for you to know that inspite of being a royal dessert, it really takes no effort in its execution.

Now comes the differentiation, the Awadhi style shahi tukrey entails the use of thick unsweetened cream made using khoya or mawa, milk and some cornflour. Whereas, the Hyderabadi shahi tukda requires the drizzling of Rabdi or reduced milk. Another noteworthy point is, in Hyderabadi version, soaking of the in syrup for short time say 30 seconds or a minute.

On the contrary, Delhi shahi tukda recipe needs soaking of bread in sugar syrup for few minutes to make it soft and melt in mouth. It is ideally set in huge platter or dish with the drizzling of sugar syrup and then dressed with thickened milk khoya cream.

Tips to make best Shahi Tukda Recipe at home

1. First and foremost, for the authentic taste and aroma, always fry bread slices in ghee. Essentially the bread slices are deep fried, but shallow frying is a great option too. If you are calorie conscious, then brush some ghee on the slices and toast it in the oven  until golden and crisp.
2. While frying the bread, keep in mind that it tends to burn quickly if left unattended. So, keep an eye and fry them in medium hot ghee until golden and crisp.
3. For Hyderabadi version, the consistency of rabdi topping should be of thick cream coating the back of spoon. Whereas, the Old Delhi/ Awadhi version Shahi Tukda has thicker consistency that should set when topped on tukdas.
4. The sugar syrup should not have thick string consistency, rather once the syrup comes to boil, simmer it for max 4-5 minutes.
5. Always, dip the fried bread in warm syrup. If the syrup is cold, the bread will not absorb the sweetness and flavour properly.
6. The recipe has the room for the addition of sugar as per your liking. But, do not add too much sugar in rabdi as we are already soaking the bread in sugar syrup.
7. The old Delhi style Shahi Tukra calls for no sugar in the milk cream topping. So, do not add sugar in cream preparation.
8.  The preparation can be done ahead. Like, if you are making Hyderabadi version, the you can make rabdi and sugar syrup a day before. You can also fry the bread and set aside. Once you have your guest in, you can quickly warm everything and assemble.
9. You can make and set the Jama Masjid style shahi Tukda a day before and refrigerate. You can either serve warm or as it is to your guest next day. However, I would highly recommend to warm it a bit before serving.

What ingredients do we need to make Shahi Tukda recipe

Bread slices - Milk bread is the best choice to make authentic Shahi Tukda recipe. But, you can use white sandwich bread as well. If you want to relish the real shahi toast then, avoid using whole wheat bread or grain bread.

Ghee - for the best taste, always use pure ghee to fry the bread. However, you can use vanaspati or oil also only if you do not have the access to ghee. Personally, I would not recommend using oil for frying as the originality and flavour of the dish will be lost.

Full fat milk - this is the key ingredient to best flavours and great richness of the dish. Avoid using fat free milk to make shahi tukray.

Sugar - to make sugar syrup, we need sugar, water as well cardamom to flavour it.

Saffron - Addition of saffron makes the dish exotic. I have used it in making sugar syrup and for making rabdi for Hyderabadi version. However, you are free to skip it if you are not having saffron with you.

Khoya/ Mawa - we would be needing khoya to make the milk cream for Delhi style Shahi Tukra recipe. And some cornflour mixed in water to thicken the cream

Slivered dry fruits and nuts, silver work (optional) are the other ingredients we need for garnishing. For garnishing, you can slo use some colourful tutti fruity just like the way you find it in Old Delhi.

Shahi Tukra recipe using Condensed milk or milkmaid

To make Hyderabadi Shahi Tukra recipe using condensed milk, follow the same process of frying the bread and sugar syrup as mentioned below.

While making the rabdi, bring milk to a boil, and simmer until it is reduced to half of its original quantity. Add condensed milk and saffron and simmer to thicken the milk faster. Keep stirring in between to avoid scorching at the bottom.

Remember to keep a check on sugar, or I would say do not add any sugar as condensed milk itself is sweet

Some more Sweets Recipe you might like to try

Balushahi

Sheer Khurma

Rabdi

Gulab Jamun

How to make shahi tukda recipe in Hyderabadi Style - Step by Step

to prepare rabdi for shahi tukda

First, add milk to heavy bottom pan and bring it to a boil (photo 1)

Then reduce then flame and simmer until it is reduced to half. (photo 2)

Then add saffron, sugar and keep simmering the rabdi until desired consistency. (photo 3)

to make sugar syrup

To make syrup, add sugar and water in pan and bring it to boil. Once it starts boiling add saffron and cardamom pods, simmer for another 5 minutes.

preparation of shahi tukda

Snip off the edges of the bread and cut into triangles. Heat ghee in pan and add cut bread slices

Fry the bread slices until golden and crisp from both the sides

Now dip the fried bread slices in warm sugar syrup fo 30 seconds

Keep the soaked toast on plate and topped it thick rabdi (reduced milk). Garnish with nuts and serve.

How to make shahi tukda recipe in old Delhi style - Step by Step

First, snip off the edges of the bread.

Then heat ghee in pan. Once the ghee is medium hot, add bread slices and fry until golden and crisp

Take out the crisp bread and dip it in warm sugar syrup and let it rest for 3-4 minutes.

Now, arrange the soaked bread in a dish evenly. As the bread slices were thin, I have stack few of them to make the thickness of 1 inch. Pour few spoons of sugar syrup over the arranged bread to keep it moist.

To make milk cream, add milk in a pan and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. (photo 1)

Add khoya and mix until smooth. (photo 2)

Then, make a slurry of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water. Add it to the milk and stir continuously to avoid lump formation. Cook for few seconds until you get thick smooth cream. (photo 3)

Immediately pour the milk cream over the bread evenly covering the top every well. Tap gently and sprinkle slivered pistachios and almonds. Allow it to rest for few hours until cream is set.

Garnish with silver wark, pour some melted ghee and some warm sugar syrup on the top, cut in portions and serve.

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Shahi Tukda Recipe