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November 19, 2020

Shahi Tukra: Pakistani Bread Pudding

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Shahi Tukra is an indulgent and delicious Pakistani/Indian Bread Pudding. Made with fried bread soaked in milk flavored with cardamom and saffron, enjoy it warm or chilled for a royal treat!

Shahi Tukda literally translates to Royal (Shahi) Piece (Tukra). And it really is a royally indulgent dessert.

It is made with fried bread soaked in milk flavored with cardamom and saffron.

It can be enjoyed warm or chilled for a royal treat!

Shahi Tukra is a great make-ahead dessert, perfect for entertaining or to bring to a dinner party!

Ingredients for Shahi Tukra

Bread – This recipe is perfect for a simple loaf of white bread. Nothing fancy here. Each slice of bread is typically cut into 2 triangles diagonally, but that’s a personal preference.

Ghee or oil – Traditionally the bread is fried in desi ghee, but you can also use a neutral cooking oil to fry the bread.

Milk – We use a combination of sweet condensed milk and regular 2% milk in this recipe. But you can also whole milk, or a combination of whole milk and sweet condensed milk.

Sugar – The recipe listed below uses 1/2 cup of sugar, but you can increase or decrease that depending on if you are using condensed milk, or if you like your desserts a little sweeter.

Nuts – Chopped almonds and pistachios are traditionally used in this dessert. You can use whatever you have on hand, or experiment with other nuts like walnuts and pecans.

Saffron – For this recipe you only need a few strands of saffron. It adds a floral flavor to the Shahi Tukra!

Cardamom – the cardamom added an earthy flavor to the milk that really pairs well with the saffron and the nuts. You can use either ground cardamom or crush 1-2 pods of green cardamom if you prefer using whole cardamom pods.

How to make Shahi Tukra?

#1: Fry the bread

Add ghee or oil to a frying pan. Make sure to coat the pan with about 1/4 inch of oil. For this dessert, you do want to fry the bread so that it is golden brown, not just toast the bread.

#2: Make the flavored Milk

In a medium pot, add the milk, sugar, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, saffron and sweet condensed milk. 

Heat the milk on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, continuously stirring to make sure the milk does not burn.

#3: Assemble and Bake

Once you have prepped the bread and milk, the last step is to assemble the dessert.

A simple baking dish like a large Pyrex dish is perfect for this recipe, especially if you’re planning to bring it to a dinner party!

Mom’s Tip

You can prepare this dessert ahead of time. Assemble the dessert in a baking dish, and bake it right before you want to serve the dessert.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Use a baking dish in which you can lay the bread triangles in a single layer.

Top it with the flavored milk.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, to allow the bread to soak the milk mixture.

How to serve Shahi Tukra?

Shahi Tukra can be served both warm or chilled, this is a personal preference.

We really enjoy Shahi Tukra as a simple yet indulgent warm dessert in the winter!

If you’re looking for other traditional Pakistani desserts:

  • Kheer – a rice pudding recipe made with sweet condensed milk
  • Gajar Ka Halwa – a traditional carrot pudding perfect for when carrots are in season!

If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess

Ready to make Shahi Tukra?

Shahi Tukra

Shahi Tukra is an indulgent and delicious Pakistani/Indian Bread Pudding. Made with fried bread soaked in milk flavored with cardamom and saffron, enjoy it warm or chilled for a royal treat!
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 slices of bread
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder or 1-2 green cardamom pods, crushed.
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
  • pinch saffron 4-5 strands
  • 1-2 tablespoons ghee or neutral cooking oil
  • 10 almonds chopped
  • 10 pistachios chopped

Instructions
 

Flavored Milk

  • In a large heavy bottom pot, add milk, sugar, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, saffron sweet condensed milk.
  • Heat the milk on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, continuously stirring to make sure the milk does not burn.
  • Remove from heat and set aside. Remove cardamom pods if whole cardamom was used.

Fried Bread

  • Remove crusts from the slices of bread, and cut each slice diagonally into two triangles.
  • In a frying pan add ghee or oil, about ¼ inch to fry the bread.
  • Add bread triangles to the pan in a single layer, frying 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
  • Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to remove excess oil.
  • Repeat for remaining bread as required.

Assemble and Bake

  • In a baking dish lay the bread slices in a single layer.
    Pour milk mixture, and sprinkle with chopped pistachio and almonds.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes.
  • Enjoy Shahi Tukra warm or cold, as preferred.

Notes

  1. Shahi Tukra can be made ahead of time. Assemble the dessert in a baking dish, and bake before serving. 

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Filed Under: Desserts, Eid/Ramadan

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