Shahi Tukda (Royal Fried Bread in Saffron Milk)
Crisp golden bread dipped in syrup and topped with thick saffron and cardamom milk, a showpiece pudding.
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.70 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pour the milk into a wide heavy pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring often and scraping down the sides, until reduced by half and thick.
35 min - 2
Stir in the first lot of sugar, the saffron and cardamom. Cook for 3 minutes, then take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
- 3
Meanwhile, make the syrup. Heat the water and second lot of sugar for 5 minutes until slightly sticky. Add the rose water.
5 min - 4
Heat the ghee in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bread for 2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
4 min - 5
Dip each piece of bread in the syrup for a few seconds, then lay on a serving dish.
- 6
Spoon the warm saffron milk over the bread and scatter with pistachios. Serve warm or chilled.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
