A soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet leavened bread from Mughlai cuisine. Flavored with saffron and cardamom, this rich flatbread is perfect for scooping up decadent curries like korma or nihari.
Prep25 min
Cook12 min
Ferment90 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 serving
420cal
9gprotein
58gcarbs
Ingredients
2 cup Maida (All-purpose flour)
1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 tbsp Sugar (Divided)
0.75 tsp Salt
0.75 cup Warm Milk (Around 110°F / 43°C)
3 tbsp Curd (Plain yogurt, at room temperature)
4 tbsp Ghee (Melted and divided)
0.5 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
1 pinch Saffron Strands (A generous pinch, about 12-15 strands)
A decadent Mughlai dessert where crisp, ghee-fried bread is soaked in fragrant sugar syrup and topped with creamy, thickened milk (rabri). Garnished with nuts, this royal treat is perfect for festive occasions.
A royal twist on a breakfast classic! Thick bread slices are soaked in a fragrant egg batter spiced with classic Awadhi masalas like cardamom and mace, then pan-fried in ghee until golden. A truly unique and savory start to your day.
About Taftan, Shahi Tukda and Awadhi Masala French Toast
Sweet Shahi Tukda, fluffy Taftan & savory Awadhi French Toast – an energy-giving, indulgent comfort!
This awadhi dish is perfect for lunch. With 1464.36 calories and 38.43g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
17gfat
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds (For topping)
Instructions
1
Activate Yeast & Prepare Saffron Milk
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup of warm milk, 1 tbsp of sugar, and the active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it stand for 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly. This indicates the yeast is active.
In another small bowl, add the saffron strands to 2 tbsp of warm milk. Let it soak to release its color and aroma. Set aside.
2
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maida (all-purpose flour), the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar, salt, and green cardamom powder.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the frothy yeast mixture, room temperature curd, and 2 tbsp of melted ghee.
Using a spatula or your hands, mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3
Knead and First Proof
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth, soft, and elastic. The dough should spring back when gently pressed.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl lightly greased with ghee or oil.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in volume.
4
Shape and Second Proof
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the trapped air. Divide it into 4 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-7 inch oval or round shape, about 1/4-inch thick.
Place the shaped taftans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using your fingertips, press dimples all over the surface to prevent them from puffing up completely during baking.
Cover loosely with a cloth and let them rest for another 15 minutes.
5
Prepare for Baking
While the taftans are resting, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Gently brush the tops of the shaped dough with the saffron-infused milk you prepared earlier.
Sprinkle generously with poppy seeds.
6
Bake the Taftan
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven on the middle rack.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the taftans are puffed, golden brown on top, and cooked through.
Remove from the oven immediately.
7
Finish and Serve
As soon as the taftans come out of the oven, brush them generously with the remaining 2 tbsp of melted ghee.
Serve warm with rich, gravy-based dishes like Nihari, Qorma, or Paneer Makhani.
556cal
13gprotein
66gcarbs
28gfat
Ingredients
1 l full cream milk (Essential for rich and creamy rabri)
0.75 cup sugar (Divided: 1/4 cup for rabri and 1/2 cup for syrup)
1 pinch saffron strands (A generous pinch, about 15-20 strands)
0.5 tsp cardamom powder (Freshly ground is best)
4 slices white bread (Thick-cut, with crusts removed)
1 cup ghee (For shallow frying the bread)
0.5 cup water (For making the sugar syrup)
1 tsp rose water (Optional, for fragrance)
2 tbsp pistachios (Slivered, for garnish)
2 tbsp almonds (Slivered, for garnish)
1 tbsp dried rose petals (Optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Rabri (Thickened Milk)
Pour 1 litre of full cream milk into a heavy-bottomed, wide pan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium and let it simmer. Stir every few minutes to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom.
As a layer of cream (malai) forms on the surface, use a spatula to gently push it to the sides of the pan. Continue this process repeatedly.
Simmer for about 45-50 minutes. The milk will reduce to approximately one-third of its original volume, becoming thick and layered with the collected cream.
Add 1/4 cup of sugar, saffron strands, and cardamom powder. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves completely.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. The rabri will thicken more as it cools. Set aside.
2
Make the Sugar Syrup
In a separate saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water.
Heat over medium flame, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the syrup to a boil and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. It should become slightly sticky, but no string consistency is required.
8 slices Thick-Cut Bread (Day-old white or brioche bread works best)
4 large Eggs
120 ml Full-Fat Milk
1 small Onion (Finely chopped)
1 small Tomato (Deseeded and finely chopped)
2 whole Green Chili (Finely chopped, adjust to your spice preference)
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Finely chopped, plus more for garnish)
1 tsp Garam Masala
0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
0.5 tsp Red Chili Powder
0.25 tsp Cardamom Powder
1 pinch Mace Powder
0.75 tsp Salt (Or to taste)
4 tbsp Ghee (For frying)
0.5 tsp Chaat Masala (For garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Savory Egg Batter
In a wide, shallow bowl suitable for dipping bread, crack the 4 large eggs. Whisk them vigorously until the yolks and whites are fully combined and slightly frothy.
To the whisked eggs, add 120ml of full-fat milk, 1 finely chopped small onion, 1 deseeded and finely chopped small tomato, 2 finely chopped green chilies, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and 3 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves.
Stir in the spices: 1 tsp garam masala, 0.25 tsp turmeric powder, 0.5 tsp red chili powder, 0.25 tsp cardamom powder, a pinch of mace powder, and 0.75 tsp of salt.
Whisk everything together until you have a uniform, fragrant batter. This should take about 5 minutes.
2
Soak the Bread Slices
Take one slice of bread at a time and gently place it in the egg batter.
Allow it to soak for 15-20 seconds on each side. The goal is for the bread to absorb the batter without becoming overly saturated and falling apart. Ensure some of the chopped vegetables adhere to the surface of the bread.
3
Shallow-Fry the French Toast
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a non-stick skillet or tawa over medium-low heat. The ghee should be hot but not smoking.
Turn off the heat and stir in the rose water (if using). Keep the syrup warm for dipping.
3
Fry the Bread Slices (Tukda)
Take the bread slices and cut them diagonally into triangles. You should have 8 triangles.
Heat ghee in a wide frying pan over medium heat. The ghee should be hot enough that a small piece of bread sizzles immediately, but it should not be smoking.
Carefully place 3-4 bread triangles in the pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it.
Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are a deep golden brown and uniformly crisp.
Remove the fried bread with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess ghee.
4
Assemble the Shahi Tukda
Take one fried bread triangle at a time and dip it into the warm sugar syrup.
Let it soak for about 10-15 seconds on each side. A quick dip is sufficient to absorb the sweetness without making it soggy.
Arrange the syrup-soaked bread pieces in a single layer on a serving platter or in a shallow dish.
Generously pour the prepared rabri over the bread, ensuring each piece is well-covered.
5
Garnish and Serve
Garnish the Shahi Tukda with slivered pistachios, almonds, and a sprinkle of dried rose petals.
For the best experience, serve immediately while the bread retains some crispness. Alternatively, you can chill it for 30-60 minutes for a softer, pudding-like texture.
Carefully lift two soaked bread slices from the batter, allowing any excess to drip off, and place them on the hot skillet.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, until the bottom is a deep golden brown and crisp. Use a spatula to gently press down on the toast to ensure even cooking.
Flip the toast and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side until it's equally golden and the egg is fully cooked through.
Repeat the process with the remaining bread slices, adding more ghee to the pan for each batch as needed. This entire step will take about 10-12 minutes.
4
Garnish and Serve Hot
Once cooked, transfer the masala French toast to a serving platter.
Immediately sprinkle with 0.5 tsp of chaat masala and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve hot with a side of mint-coriander chutney, tamarind chutney, or tomato ketchup for a delicious and royal breakfast.
