Shahi Tukda / Shahi Tukra with condensed milk / Indian Bread Pudding

Shahi Tukda or Shahi Tukra is a simple and delicious dessert prepared using milk and bread. The first step is preparing the rabdi and then you add the fried bread slices to it and serve. See how simple it is. For extra richness to the dessert i have added condensed milk. So that the rabdi gets a good thick texture soon. If you don't use condensed milk then cook the milk for more time till the mixture is thickened. The thickness of the rabdi is entirely depend on your choice. I like it to be in flowing consistency. You can even continue cooking the milk for 15 mins more to get even more thicker consistency. 

Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Bread- 2 slices
Ghee- 3 tbsp
Sugar- 2 tsp(optional)

For preparing Rabdi:

Full Fat Milk- 1 litre
Cardamom- 5
Sweetened Condensed milk- 4 tbsp
Sugar to taste
Nuts to garnish

Procedure:

1. Take all your ingredients and keep it ready.

 2. Take the milk in a heavy bottomed or non stick kadai and bring it to a boil.

3. Add the cardamom to it. Stir it in between.

4. Once the milk boils then reduce the flame to medium. You may begin to notice the cream layers at the top. Gently move it to the sides. Stir in between so that the milk doesnt burn. Also gently scrape the dried milk on the sides of the pan and add it to the milk.. Cream layers give more taste to the rabdi.

5. When the milk is reduced to half, add the condensed milk. You can add the sugar as per your taste. Or you can increase the quantity of condensed milk and skip adding sugar.

6. Cook for few more minutes on low flame till it reduces further more.

7. If you want the rabdi to be more thick then you can cook for few more minutes.You can switch off the flame when it reaches your desired consistency.  And let it come to room temperature. It thickens more when cooled. Now you can see more cream layers at the top.

 8. In a pan add 3 tbsp of ghee and heat it.

9. Cut the bride slices into diagonals or squares and pan fry it on both sides. If you want, you can sprinkle some sugar on it at last. Refer notes for traditional method.

10. Soak the fried bread slices in the prepared rabdi for 2 or 3 hours.

 11. Garnish with nuts. Serve chilled for best results.

Notes:

1. Traditionally, the bread slices are deep fried in ghee and dipped in sugar syrup. But I skipped those steps and pan fried the bread in ghee. Because already we have used enough sweetness in the recipe. If you don't mind about calories then you can deep fry the bread in ghee and dip it in the sugar syrup.

2. After you have dipped in the sugar syrup, transfer the bread slices to a plate and pour the rabdi over it and serve.

3. It tastes even better the next day since all the bread would have soaked the rabdi and it becomes so soft to eat..literally it melts in your mouth.