Shahi Tukda: 3 Quick Tips for Perfect Toast

Do you often crave something sweet, and looking for a new dessert to try?? Woo-hoo..you are in the right place!! No need to look elsewhere! Our step-by-step instructions will walk you through the process of making the scrumptious Shahi Tukda.

I must admit that I have a sweet tooth…

More often than not, I crave sweets, and what could be better than shahi sweets? Bread dipped in flavoured sugar syrup and topped with creamy delectable rabdi to make scrumptious Shahi Tukda.

This Mughlai dessert is so wonderful that you will always want more. Traditionally, bread is fried in ghee and then dipped in cardamom-scented sugar syrup. This is best served with a creamy rabdi topping.

‘Shahi tukda’ means ‘royal piece’ in Hindi. Like malpua, this crunchy and delectable delicacy is also made on festivals and other occasions throughout India. I only recently learnt how to make this, but I was astounded by the results I achieved on the first try. It is quite simple to prepare and takes very little time.

Ingredients – Shahi Tukda

Pan frying Bread Triangles

Bread slices

1 tbsp ghee

Sugar Syrup

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

3-4 saffron strands

¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)

Shahi Tukda garnish

6-7 chopped almonds

3-4 dates

Raisins

5-6 chopped pistachios

How to make Shahi Tukda – Steps

Pan frying Bread Triangles

Step 1 – Cut the white bread into triangle slices. You can choose any bread (white or brown bread) you want (whichever is available in your pantry) – I prefer white bread as they are softer and fluffier.

Step 2 – In a frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add bread slices to it.

Step 3- Toast the bread triangles on a low or low to medium flame. 

Step 4 – Notice the color of the bread, when one side is turning golden brown, flip it over and toast the other side.

Step 5 – Place the bread triangles on paper towels so that they may absorb excess fat.

Making of Sugar Syrup

Step 1 – Add sugar to the pot/pan. Add in water and then heat it up. The amount of water should be half that of the amount of sugar (eg: if you take ½ cup of water then 1 cup of sugar should be sufficient).

Step 2 – Simmer the syrup on low flame until it turns sticky and you get honey like consistency. You may also check for one string consistency to make sure syrup is ready. Add couple of saffron strands to the syrup. You may also add cardamom powder (optional).

Step 3 – Now, heat up water in comparatively bigger bowl, and then place the bowl containing sugar syrup on top of bigger bowl making sure that the base touches the warm water. You need to do this to prevent the syrup from crystallization.

Shahi Tukda

Step 1 – Dip the tukda/triangles in the sugar syrup to get it coated, you may use spoon to coat the bread slices evenly. I would not recommend leaving the triangles in the syrup for an extended period of time since they will absorb the syrup and become soggy.

Step 2 – Arrange the sugar-coated bread slices in a serving tray or dish in a tidy fashion.

Step 3 – Pour the rabri over the wet bread in syrup. 

Step 4 – Garnish the rich royal Shahi Tukda with dates, almonds, raisins and pistachios before serving.

Serving suggestion

Make sure to keep the toast crisp since it adds a nice crunch to the dish. If you want to keep it softer, soak the toast in syrup for a few minutes. Personally, I prefer crisp toast, so I merely dip it in syrup and spread it evenly with a spoon to ensure it’s well coated.

Garnishing is essential, so use nuts and dates. If you want, you can garnish with rose petals. To make the shahi tukda more royal and richer, serve it with rich and creamy rabdi.

Storage Option

I don’t recommend preserving this dish, but you can keep the deep-fried bread, rabdi, and sugar syrup separately in sealed containers for a few days if necessary. When ready to serve, warm the syrup, then dip the fried bread in it and top with chilled rabdi.

Expert Notes

Use Ghee and not oil: Use ghee instead of oil to pan fry the tukda/bread slices. Oil will not provide the flavor you require for this recipe. You can use any ghee as a fat, but homemade ghee can work wonders.

Bread: You can use white, brown, or wheat bread to make shahi tukda, but I recommend white bread. Breads with seeds should be avoided.

Garnishing: Garnish with almonds, pistachios, and dates if desired. Be sure to garnish before serving.

FAQ

Why is it called Shahi Tukda?

This Mughlai dessert Shahi Tukda is also known as ‘Royal bite’ in english. It is reported that Indian chefs created this dish to serve the Mughal courts, hence the name “Shahi Tukda”.

Why is it called Double Ka Meetha?

Double Ka Meetha refers to the milk bread, called “Double Roti”. This is traditional Hyderabadi dish and tastes similar to Shahi Tukda. This is also called as bread pudding or bread dessert.

General QnA

What does tukda mean?

Tukda means “bite” or “piece” in English. Shahi Tukda translates to “royal bite”.