Recipe - Do you have craving for sweets, try out 'Shahi Tukda'

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table. That's true Food is incomplete without dessert. So for what you are waiting for try out this delectable sweet... 'Shahi Tukda'

Ingredients

For Rabdi

4 ½ cups (1 litre) milk
3 tablespoon (45g) sugar
½ cup (62g) milk powder
10-12 kaju/cashew roughly chopped
10-12 badam/almonds roughly chopped
10-12 pista/ pistachios roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon elaichi/ cardamom powder
20-22 saffron strands

For Shahi Tukda

6 bread slices (white or brown)
1 cup (200g) sugar
½ cup (120ml) water
¼ teaspoon elachai/ cardamom powder
15-20 saffron strands

How to make Rabdi

- In a heavy bottom pan add milk and bring it to a boil over medium flame. Keep stirring it continuously to avoid it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

- Add milk powder and saffron and mix well.

- Once the upper layer of cream is formed, gently stick the malai/cream layer on the sides of the vessel. (Do not mix it in the milk).

- Keep repeating the process of sticking the malai/cream on the sides of the vessel 7-8 times or until the milk is reduced to ¼

- Now add sugar and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring it continuously on medium flame.
Finally add the cardamom powder and all the dried nuts and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

- Switch off the flame and let the rabri cool down in the pan for 30 minutes before scraping off the malai/cream

- Gently scrape off the sides and give it a good mix and keep it aside.

Sugar Syrup

In a pan over medium heat add sugar and water and cook till the sugar melts Now add saffron and cardamom powder and keep stirring continuously. Cook the sugar syrup for 4-5 minutes or until you get a one string consistency. To check that, take a drop of sugar syrup in a bowl and then place it between your fingertips, it the sugar syrup forms one string consistency. Once done, switch off the flame and keep it aside.

Shaki Tukda

Cut the bread slices in triangle or square shape. In a pan over medium heat, add ghee and once it’s hot, add the bread slices and fry them from both sides till they turn golden brown. Now soak the bread slices in the sugar syrup and keep aside. For assembling, take a serving plate add some rabdi and then arrange the bread slices on top of it. Add some more rabdi . Garnish with nuts and serve cold or hot.