Indian Bread and Butter pudding (Shahi Tukra)

Method

1. Blanching the dry fruits: 1. first heat a cup of water till it begins to boil in a microwave or stove top or electric heater. 2. add the pistachios and almonds to the hot water. 3. cover and keep aside for 30 mins. 4. peel both and slice them, keep aside.
2. Preparing rabri for shahi tukda: 1. in a broad thick bottomed pan or sauce pan or a kadai take 1 litre of full fat milk and bring to its first boil. 2. then add milk powder (I used nestle brand. The addition of milk powder reduces the cooking time of rabri, however isn’t essential, you just have to simmer the milk for a few more minutes. 3. Add masala milk powder (this was homemade one. Again, optional and if you don’t have just add a pinch of crushed saffron and 1/4 tsp cardamom powder). 4. remove the clotted cream/malai which forms on top of the milk and add it back to the milk. Also keep on scraping the dried milk from the sides and add them back to the milk. 5. Stir and scrape often so that the milk does not get browned or burnt from the bottom as well as the sides. 6. Keep on simmering, stirring, removing the clotted cream and scraping. 7. Switch off when the milk has reduced and become thickened. 8. Add sugar. Stir well so that the sugar dissolves. 9. next, add crushed saffron or saffron powder along with kewra water (pandanus water). Skip this step if you have added saffron before. You can also add sliced almonds and pistachios here. You can substitute kewra water with edible rose water or rose essence. 10. It will take about 1 hour for the milk to thicken on a low flame
3. pan frying the bread slices: 1. slice the crusts of the bread. Cut them into squares, rectangles or triangles. 2. heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a flat pan, tava or frying pan. 3. place the bread slices and on a low to medium heat toast them. 4. when one side is browned, flip and toast the other side. 5. flip once or twice more to get an even golden color and browning. 6. drain the bread slices on paper towels. 7. add 1 tbsp ghee again and toast the remaining batch. keep all the toasted bread side.
4. Preparing sugar syrup for shahi tukda: 1. mix 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup water in a pan. you can begin with the sugar syrup when you start to toast bread slices. 2. keep the sugar solution on a low heat. 3. the mixture would start to come to a boil. 4. cook till you get a one thread consistency in the sugar syrup. 5. switch off the flame, when one thread consistency is reached, add cardamom powder and stir.6. in case the syrup cools and crystallizes before you soak the bread in it, then just add about 1 to 1.5 tbsp water and reheat the syrup.
5. Making shahi tukra: 1. now dip the bread slices in the sugar syrup. with the help of a spoon or small tongs, coat the bread slices evenly with the sugar syrup. if this is difficult for you, then just pour the sugar syrup evenly on a neatly arranged bed of bread slices. 2. arrange the sugar syrup soaked bread slices neatly in a serving tray or plate. 3. pour the rabri on the sugar syrup coated bread slices. 4. garnish with sliced blanched almonds and pistachios. 5. serve the rich royal shahi tukra. 6. if not serving shahi tukra immediately, then keep in the fridge. if you plan to add silver foil (chandi ka varak) then place it at the time of serving, whether serving shahi tukra chilled or warm or at room temperature.