Dates and Nuts Stuffed Shahi Tukra

Shahi Tukra(Tukda) means Royal(Shahi) Piece(Tukda) and I believe it really is a royal piece of sweet treat that melts into your mouth with such an awesome taste. It is believed to be part of Mughlai Cuisine and is a simple dessert made with fried bread pieces and cardamom flavored milk. Sometimes I make the quicker version of this by adding corn flour or adding the condensed milk to the boiling milk to thicken it faster instead of cooking it for long to form the rabdi . But every time I taste it I feel something less than that perfect sweet treat without the rabdi(reduced thickened milk with cream) and I promise myself of making it the authentic way next time. I make the simple Shahi Tukra normally but the Idea of stuffing dates inside the bread pieces was from Sanjeev Kapoor's Recipes, so my whole hearted courtesy to our India's master chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

I made this Nuts and dates stuffed Shahi Tukra(e) sometime back and my son who do not eat dates at all ate it so well thinking it was chocolate with nuts stuffed inside the bread pieces. And few days back he was asking me for the same dessert saying 'Amma I want that bread, chocolate and cream thing' you made me the other day. I was so confused for what he was asking me for because I make quite a lot tricky stuffs to make him eat well. At last he cleared my thoughts saying 'Ammaaa I waited till you took the pictures of it the other day, the butterfly shaped one. I want that'. It was nothing but I used cookie cutter to give some cute little shapes to the bread pieces so that kids have the curiosity to come to the food rather than us walking behind them to feed them. So I made this again for him yesterday as well and thought of posting it at least now(my previous 'Shahi Tukra' picture had been posted in facebook quite sometime back  and is waiting for the post :) ) So friends Enjoy making Shahi Tukra(e) !!!!

Ingredients:-

Ingredients Used

Bread slices - 6(I used the multi grain bread)      
Milk- 5 cups
Sugar -1/2 cup    
Ghee - 2 tsp                                                                                     
Dates - 10 numbers
Chopped Almonds and Walnuts - 5 each(u can use nuts of your choice and numbers)
Green Cardamom pods - 2(crushed well in mortar with a pestle)

Preparation Method:-

• In a thick bottomed pan bring the milk to boil stirring in between. Simmer the heat to medium, add sugar and let it reduce its quantity to half.
• Keep stirring in between so that milk do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Set aside to let it cool. Pour into a bowl or any container, refrigerate it till the rest of the process is completed.
• Meanwhile remove the crust of the bread and cut into desired shapes. You have to cut two pieces each of same size since you have to stuff the dates mix between two pieces of bread(keeping one bread pieces on top of each and cutting helps you get bread pieces of equal shape or just cut them in equal squares)

                                                         

• Heat a griddle or non-stick pan, spread some ghee and shallow fry the bread pieces till crisp or light brown and set aside(originally bread pieces are deep fried).

                                                        

• Chop the seedless dates, add the nuts and mash everything together and set aside

                                                         

• Take a fried bread piece and spread some dates mix on top of it, cover with another fried bread piece and press to secure. Repeat the process for the rest of the bread pieces.

     

• Take out the chilled milk, dip both sides of the stuffed bread piece into the milk and arrange it in another flat container in which you can accomodate all the bread pieces. Repeat this with rest of the bread pieces and arrange. Pour the rest of the chilled milk on top of the arranged bread pieces and chill it again till served.
• You can add some ghee fried nuts of your choice if desired. Serve chill, Enjoy!!!!!!

 

              
       





Note:-
1.  Originally fried bread pieces are dipped in the sugar syrup and then immersed in the reduced milk to make it sweeter. Since I used a dates stuffing which already makes it sweet I skipped dipping it in the sugar syrup.

2.  If you have less time for the party or any other occassions make the reduced sweetened milk in advance and refridgerate it . Use it whenever you want to make the dessert by just shallow frying or deep frying the bread pieces and immersing them in the chilled milk and opt out any dates stuffing.

3. For quick process of thickening the milk, mix 2 tsp of corn flour in 2 tbsp of milk and add it to the boiling milk. Add 1 tin evaporated milk or condensed milk by adjusting the sugar according to the milk you use.

I am sending this to 'My Diwali My way' hosted by Khusi @ A Girl's Diary