SHAHI TUKDA - DOUBLE KA MEETA
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| SHAHI TUKDA - DOUBLE KA MEETA |
If "Shahi Tukda" is considered as a Royal Piece of Dessert from Awadhi Cuisine, then "Double ka Meeta" is a Piece of Aristocracy from Hyderabadi Cuisine. A dish known to have been popularized during Mughlai Era. Awadhi Cuisine is a native to Lucknow and was influenced by Bhojpuri, Mughlai, Hyderabadi and Kashmiri culinary traditions. The Nawabs of Awadh were definitely influenced by the Mughals and their food reflects a Mughalai touch. Awadhi Cuisine has its own cooking styles and usage of unique elements like Ittar/Attar(Perfumes) in their dishes. We can see a lot of dishes flavoured with Perfumes or aromatic essences like Kewra and Rose.
Shahi Tukda is a popular Indian version of Bread Pudding that was popular across Central Asia and Africa in the medieval times, which took twists and turns to suit the Indian Palate. Though not specifically a sophisticated dish but sure is a dish of royalty. Shahi Tukda, a popular relish is one dish served during Iftar and Eid spreads and a common dessert served during Holi & Diwali. Shahi Tukda is surely an invention of a thrifty chef with an ingenious idea of using leftover bread by cooking the loaf in Ghee and topping it with a creamy and rich Rabri/Rabdi. Garnished lavishly with slivered nuts like Almonds, Pistachios, Cashew Nuts and served with Saffron strands and Rose Petals. It is also decorated with Silver/Gold Varq(foils).
It is as simple as deep-frying the Bread Slices in Ghee into a golden yellow colour and then dunging the pieces into a creamy rich Rabri - a concoction made by reducing and thickening the milk with flavourings, sweeteners and garnishes. Fried Bread Slices are allowed to chill for a few hours before serving so that the flavour of Rabri/Rabdi gets well infused with the Bread Slices. This yields a perfect texture, converting the Sweet dish into a melt in mouth delicacy. The quality of the Bread and frying the slices perfectly plays a major role in the taste and texture of this Dessert.
Though both Shahi Tukda and Double ka Meeta are prepared similarly, the only difference is that while cooking Double ka Meeta, Deep-fried Bread slices are soaked in Sugar syrup and then they are added into thick Milk concoction called Rabri/Rabdi. This method is literally used in Hyderabadi Cuisine and hence the name Double ka Meeta. I have given the recipe and method of preparing both Shahi Tukda and Double ka Meeta.
For more INDIAN SWEETS, Click here...
Cuisine - Awadhi, Hyderabadi
Recipe Type - Desserts
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 25 - 30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 45 Minutes - 1 Hour
Soaking Time - 30 Minutes - 1 Hour
For more DIWALI RECIPES, Click here...
HOW TO COOK SHAHI TUKDA
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| SHAHI TUKDA - DOUBLE KA MEETA |
INGREDIENTS:
For Deep-fried Bread:
Bread Slices - 6 PiecesGhee - For Deep Frying
Star Anise - 1 No.
For Rabri/Rabdi:
Milk - 6 CupsCondensed Milk - 2 Cups
Cardamom -7-8 Pods
Saffron - few Strands
Kewra Essence/Rose Water - few Drops
For Garnishing:
Cashew Nuts - FewAlmonds -Few
Pistachios - Few
Rose Petals - Few
Saffron - Few Strands
METHOD :
For Rabri/Rabdi:
- Grind Cardamoms along with few teaspoons of Sugar into a fine powder and keep it aside.
- Finely Chop/Sliver the Nuts and keep it aside.
- Soak Saffron strands in 1/4 Cup of warm milk and keep it aside.
- Combine Milk and Condensed Milk in a heavy-bottomed pan(preferable a wide open-mouthed pan) & mix well.
- Boil this mixture on a low flame stirring it at intervals.
- After about 15-20 Minutes the mixture would start to thicken.
- Scrap the sides and collect the cream(malai) which collects at the top.
- Add it back into the Rabri mixture and mix well.
- Pour in the soaked Saffron strands, add Kewra Essence, Cardamom Powder and give a quick stir.
- Add half the amount of finely chopped/slivered Nuts and mix well.
- Cook Rabri/Rabdi on a low flame, collecting the thickened Malai(cream) from the top and adding it back into the mix.
- Rabri/Rabdi gets layered and textured with this Malai(cream).
- Cook for few more minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Switch off the flame.
For a detailed Recipe on RABRI/RABDI, Click here...
For Deep-Fried Bread:
- Trim off the Crust from the Bread Slices.
- Cut each Bread Slice into 4 Triangle Pieces. (Can slice it into two or can cut into small square/round shaped pieces).
- Heat Ghee in a pan, add a Star Anise into it.
- Let the Ghee be at a medium-low flame.
- Deep fry the Bread Slice, one or two at a time, on a medium-low flame.
- Flip and fry the slices on both the sides until into turns into light golden-yellow in colour.
- Follow the suit for the rest of the Bread Slices.
- Remove the deep-fried Bread Slices from the ghee and line it up on paper towels.
For Shahi Tukda:
- Line up the deep-fried Bread Slices on a shallow serving bowl.
- Pour the Rabri/Rabdi over the bread slices.
- Let the Rabri cover the bread slices.
- Garnish Shahi Tukda with slivered Almonds, Cashew Nuts and Pistachios.
- Sprinkle few strands of Saffron and Rose Petals.
- Refrigerate Shahi Tukda for about 2-3 hours before serving.
- Can serve Shahi Tukda Warm or at room temperature or chilled.
DOUBLE KA MEETA
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| SHAHI TUKDA - DOUBLE KA MEETA |
Double ka Meeta:
The only difference between both the recipes is that in Double ka Meeta, the deep-fried bread slices are soaked in Sugar Syrup before adding it along with Rabri/Rabdi. Double ka Meeta is comparatively sweeter than Shahi Tukda. If you have an extreme Sweet Tooth, then this dessert would surely be a treat.
INGREDIENTS:
For Sugar Syrup:
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Water - 1/4 Cup
Cardamoms - 2-3 Pods.
Saffron - few Strands
Rose/Kewra Essence - few Drops
METHOD:
For Sugar Syrup:
- Mix 1/2 Cup of Sugar along with 1/4 Cup of Water in a pan.
- Cook this on a medium flame until it boils.
- Reduce the flame and cook the Sugar Syrup until it reaches one thread consistency.
- Add Cardamom Powder, Saffron strands, Rose/Kewra Essence and give a quick stir.
For Double ka Meeta:
- Follow the methods for Deep-fried Bread Slices and for preparing Rabri/Rabdi.
- Immediately add deep fried bread slices to the Sugar Syrup.
- Flip and dip it until both the sides of the bread slices are well coated with the Sugar Syrup.
- Let the bowl be shallow and wide so that the bread slices do not get overcrowded.
- Leave the bread slices in the Sugar Syrup until it gets soaked up well.
- Line up the Sugar Syrup coated Bread Slices on a wide serving bowl. Pour Rabri/Rabdi over it.
- Garnish Double ka Meeta with slivered Almonds, Cashew Nuts and Pistachios.
- Sprinkle few strands of Saffron and Rose Petals.
- Refrigerate Double ka Meeta for about 2-3 hours before serving.
- Can serve Double ka Meeta, Warm or at room temperature or chilled.
For more Recipes 'FOR THE SWEET TOOTH', Click here...
NOTES:
- Cook Rabri/Rabdi on a low flame stirring it at intervals, preferably in a wide open-mouthed heavy-bottomed pan.
- Care should be taken that the milk does not scorch at the bottom, which will totally spoil the taste of the dessert.
- Adjust the amount of Sugar to suit your Sweet Tooth.
- Trim of the crusts and deep fry the Bread Slices on a low flame into golden yellow colour.
- Care should be taken while frying the bread slices.
- Adding Star Anise into the Ghee helps to add a wonderful aroma to the Bread Slices, but it is purely optional.
- Can also pan-roast or shallow fry the Bread Slices.
- Soaking the deep-fried bread slices in Sugar Syrup is optional.
- If you are not soaking the Bread Slices in Sugar Syrup, then the sweetness of the dish comes totally from the Rabri/Rabdi. Adjust accordingly.
- Pour ample of Rabri/Rabdi, so that all the Bread Slices are covered with it.
- Allow the Slices to get well soaked in Rabri before serving.
- Keep it refrigerated if you prefer.
- Garnish Shahi Tukda/Double ka Meeta with preferred choice of Nuts.
- Garnishing it with Rose Petals & Saffron strands are purely optional.
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