Indian Cooking Recipe: Shahi Tukde
The following are the instructions on how to cook delicious Indian food: Shahi Tukde
Ingredients:
1. 4 cups whole milk,
a. cup heavy cream,
2. 1/2 cup mawa or whole milk powder,
a. cup sugar,
3. white sandwich bread slices,
4. saffron strands,
5. cardamom powder,
6. slivered pistachios and almonds,
7. silver foil,
8. Ghee for deep frying.
Method of Preparation:
1. Cut each bread slice into 4 square pieces. Heat ghee in a deep frying pan. Fry the pieces till golden in color and crisp. Avoid over frying. Remove and drain on a paper towel. These are called 'Tukde'.
2. Take a clean heavy bottomed, preferably, nonstick saucepan. To keep the milk from curdling, make sure that the pan is free of all the odors. Add only 1 tsp water (to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom) and then pour the milk and cream into it.
3. Keep the pan over medium heat. Keep stirring the milk constantly. After some time, it starts boiling. However, continue stirring and also do not let it overflow (turn the heat to low in that case). In about 45 minutes the milk reduces to half of its original quantity and thickens. The color changes to light pink. Add sugar and heat again for some time (because the addition of sugar dilutes the milk).
4. Remove from the fire. Then add cardamom powder, saffron strands and nuts.
5. Take some hot milk in a deep dish and chill the rest of it. Soak fried bread pieces into the hot milk and remove immediately. Arrange all the soaked pieces in a decorative plate.
6. Now fry together mawa and some sugar lightly. Spread some mixture over fried bread pieces.
7. Pour chilled milk over the bread pieces. Garnish with silver foil and some more nuts. Serve chilled.
Tip: The sweetened milk can be prepared and refrigerated 2 days ahead of time. You can use 1 tin condensed milk and reduce the amount of sugar in the milk.
