Shahi Tukda (Double Ka Meetha) – Royal Mughal Bread Dessert for Diwali & Eid
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Shahi Tukda and Double Ka Meeta with Rabri – Royal Mughal Dessert for Diwali |
Shahi Tukda / Double Ka Meeta – The Royal Mughal Bread Dessert for Diwali
If Shahi Tukda is a Royal Piece of Dessert from Awadhi Cuisine, then Double ka Meeta is pure Aristocracy from Hyderabadi Cuisine. A dish born in the Mughal kitchens, polished by the Nawabs of Awadh, and perfected in the Hyderabadi banquet halls. Awadhi cuisine, native to Lucknow, is deeply influenced by Bhojpuri, Mughlai, Hyderabadi and Kashmiri culinary traditions. The Nawabs of Awadh were definitely influenced by the Mughals, and their food reflects that Mughal touch — rich, fragrant, indulgent. Perfumes and aromatic essences like kewra & rose water were generously used, and even desserts came perfumed with ittar/attar.
The Royal Bread Pudding That Stole Every Festive Table
Shahi Tukda is, at its heart, an Indian bread pudding. A medieval traveller from Central Asia or Africa would probably recognise it, but in our kitchens it has taken its own twists and turns. Not a complicated dish, but still dressed in royal garb. You’ll spot it on Iftar spreads, Eid feasts, Holi thalis and Diwali tables — and once you know the trick, it’s the sort of dessert that makes you look like a Mughal chef with just a few slices of bread and a pan of ghee, laced with rich Rabdi
Why you’ll love this recipe
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It’s the ultimate festival showstopper — rich, creamy, indulgent.
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Born from thrift: a clever chef’s way of using leftover bread.
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You get two versions in one recipe — Shahi Tukda (Awadhi) and Double ka Meeta (Hyderabadi).
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Customise sweetness, make it ahead, serve warm or chilled — it fits your schedule.
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Garnished with saffron, nuts and rose petals, it looks like it came out of a royal durbar.
Craving more desserts drenched in creamy rabri? Explore my collection of Indian Sweets with Rabdi/Rabri that’ll turn any day into a festival
A little origin story - Awadhi Roots, Hyderabadi Soul
Shahi Tukda, with its deep-fried bread and rabri, is an Awadhi kitchen creation — the sort of dish Nawabs would have served to impress their guests. Double ka Meeta, meanwhile, belongs to Hyderabad’s royal kitchens. The method is nearly the same, but with a Hyderabadi twist: the fried bread slices are first soaked in sugar syrup, then layered with rabri. Sweeter, stickier and more decadent — hence the name Double ka Meeta.
What is Shahi Tukda or Double Ka Meeta?
Two Recipes, One Soul — The Awadhi & Hyderabadi Versions
Both desserts share the same royal DNA — slices of bread fried golden in ghee and layered with rich, creamy rabri — yet their personalities couldn’t be more distinct. Shahi Tukda hails from the Awadhi kitchens of Lucknow, where elegance meant restraint and flavour spoke softly. The fried bread is simply drenched in thick rabri, kissed with saffron and kewra, letting milk and fragrance take the spotlight.
Double Ka Meeta, meanwhile, descends from the Nizami tables of Hyderabad, where celebration knows no bounds. Here, the bread takes an extra dip in fragrant sugar syrup before meeting the rabri, resulting in a dessert that’s stickier, sweeter, and richer — a true reflection of the city’s opulent taste.
Both desserts were once made for kings, but today they grace our homes during Diwali, Eid, weddings, and festive feasts — proof that luxury doesn’t need gold leaf or grandeur, just good ingredients and patient hands. If Shahi Tukda is refinement on a plate, then Double Ka Meeta is indulgence in full bloom — same roots, two royal moods, both equally irresistible.
Click the link for a variety of Classic Indian Sweets perfect for Diwali Celebration!
Shahi Tukda Recipe overview
- Cuisine: Awadhi / Hyderabadi
- Category: Indian Sweets / Festive Dessert
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves: 3–4
- Author - SM @ Essence of Life - Food
- Preparation time: 25–30 minutes
- Cooking time: 45 minutes–1 hour
- Soaking / resting time: 30 minutes–1 hour
- Total time: About 2 hours
If you're short on time, don’t worry! There are also instant versions of Indian Sweets and Savories you can whip up quickly for last-minute celebrations.
How to make Shahi Tukda/Tukra & Double ka Meeta - Step-by-step Guide
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Royal Shahi Tukda – Awadhi & Hyderabadi Dessert Served with Rabri |
Ingredients
For the Deep-fried Bread
- 6 Bread Slices
- Ghee — for deep-frying
- 1-Star Anise (optional, for aroma)
Love rich Indian Sweets? My top pick — pure desi ghee — makes all the difference! Learn how to make Homemade Ghee the traditional way!
For the Rabri / Rabdi
- 6 cups Milk
- 2 cups Condensed Milk
- 7–8 green cardamoms, ground with a little sugar
- A few saffron strands, soaked in warm milk
- A few drops kewra essence or rose water
Homemade Rabri is easier than you think — and ten times better than store-bought! Check out for rich & creamy Rabri recipe with pro tips, and perfect-texture secrets!
For the Sugar Syrup (for Double ka Meeta)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2–3 cardamoms, lightly crushed
- A few saffron strands
- A few drops rose/kewra essence
For Garnish
- A handful each of cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios (slivered or chopped)
- Rose petals, saffron strands
- Silver/gold varq (optional, festive touch)
Method - Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the Rabri / Rabdi
- Grind cardamoms with a little sugar into a fine powder.
- Chop or sliver the nuts. Soak saffron strands in warm milk.
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, mix milk and condensed milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on low flame. Stir occasionally.
- Scrape the cream (malai) that collects on the top and edges, and stir it back into the milk. Repeat until mixture thickens.
- Add the soaked saffron, kewra/rose essence and cardamom powder. Stir well.
- Mix in half the nuts, reserving the rest for garnish.
- Continue cooking until rabri reaches desired consistency. Switch off.
Pro tip: Use a wide-mouthed pan — it reduces faster and gives better texture. Stir regularly so milk doesn’t scorch.
Fry the bread
- Trim off crusts. Cut each slice into triangles, squares or rounds.
- Heat ghee in a pan with a star anise (optional). Fry bread slices one or two at a time, on medium-low flame, until golden yellow.
- Drain on paper towels.
Pro tip: Fry on medium-low heat. Too hot, and the bread will burn outside and stay raw inside.
Prepare sugar syrup (for Double ka Meeta only)
- Mix sugar and water in a pan, bring to a boil, then simmer until one-thread consistency.
- Add cardamom powder, saffron and rose/kewra essence. Stir.
- Dip fried bread slices quickly in syrup, flipping to coat. Remove to a shallow plate.
Pro tip: Don’t over-soak — quick dips keep the bread firm yet flavoured and sugar infused.
Assemble the dessert
For Shahi Tukda:
- Arrange fried bread in a shallow bowl.
- Pour rabri over, covering bread slices fully.
- Garnish with nuts, saffron, rose petals and varq.
- Refrigerate 2–3 hours for flavours to meld. Serve warm, room temp, or chilled.
Authentic Hyderabadi Double Ka Meeta Recipe – Royal Bread Dessert made Easy
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For Double ka Meeta:
- Use syrup-soaked bread.
- Layer in a shallow dish, then pour rabri over.
- Garnish as above. Rest and chill before serving.
Pro tip: For individual portions, layer in small glass bowls for a pretty presentation.
Pro Tips & Notes
- Cook the Rabri / Rabdi on a low flame, stirring at intervals to avoid scorching.
- Use a wide, open-mouthed heavy-bottomed pan for quicker reduction and creamier texture.
- Make sure the milk doesn’t scorch at the bottom — that bitter taste can ruin the dessert.
- Adjust the sweetness of the Rabri or Sugar Syrup to suit your sweet tooth.
- Trim off the bread crusts and fry on a low flame until they turn a beautiful golden-yellow.
- Star Anise to the ghee adds a subtle, aromatic depth — optional, but lovely.
- Bread slices can be shallow-fried or pan-roasted if you prefer to go lighter on ghee.
- Soaking the fried bread in Sugar Syrup is optional — if skipped, the sweetness comes solely from the Rabri.
- Pour ample of Rabri / Rabdi, so all bread slices are generously covered and soak up the richness.
- Allow the dessert to rest and chill for a few hours — this helps the flavours meld beautifully.
- Garnish with your choice of nuts, rose petals, and saffron strands for that final royal touch.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve — it tastes even better when slightly chilled.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve chilled in summer, or warm in winter for a comforting finish.
- Perfect for Diwali, Eid or any festive platter.
- Pairs beautifully with masala chai and Bombay Mixture for a Savoury combo.
Storage Suggestions
- Rabri: Stays well refrigerated for 3–4 days.
- Fried bread: Store in airtight container for 24 hours; re-crisp before using.
- Assembled dish: Best eaten within 2 days. Longer storage makes bread soggy.
- Freezing not recommended.
FAQs
Q. Is Shahi Tukda the same as Double ka Meeta?
- No. Shahi Tukda skips the sugar syrup, while Double ka Meeta soaks the fried bread in syrup before layering with rabri.
Q. Can I make it ahead?
- Yes — prepare rabri and fried bread a day ahead. Assemble a few hours before serving.
Q. Can I bake instead of fry?
- Yes. Brush bread with ghee, bake at 180°C until golden. Texture will be lighter.
Q. Can I skip condensed milk?
- Yes, use plain milk and sugar, but it’ll take longer to reduce.
Recipes You might also like
- Rabdi / Rabri – The queen of creamy indulgence, slow-cooked milk thickened to perfection.
- Gulab Jamun – The ever-favourite deep-fried milk dumplings drenched in rose-scented syrup.
- Bengali Chum Chum / Cham Cham – Spongy, syrupy delights, often stuffed or coconut-coated — straight from Bengal’s sweet shops.
- Bengali Lyangcha – Those darker, elongated cousins of Gulab Jamun — rustic, rich, and irresistibly syrup-soaked.
- Zafrani Phirni – Saffron-infused rice pudding served in earthen pots, a festival classic.
- Mishti Doi – Bengal’s own dessert you can spoon straight to cool your senses, For a twist try Rose Mishti Doi — thick, caramelised yoghurt with floral undertones.
- Shrikhand – Silky, hung-curd-based sweet flavoured with cardamom and saffron — a classic from Gujarati-Maharashtrian Cuisine.
- Basundi – The Western Indian cousin of Rabri, slow-cooked milk with hints of nutmeg and cardamom.
- Sweet Mixture (Potato & Dry Fruits) – A sweet-spicy combination of fried potatoes, raisins, and nuts — Diwali in every bite!
- Bombay Mixture – For the savoury-sweet balance — crisp, spicy, and completely addictive; the snack that keeps the party alive.
- Poosanikkai Halwa (Kasi Halwa) – A South Indian classic made with ash gourd, ghee, and sugar — glossy, rich, and festive-worthy.
- Apple Halwa & Pear Halwa – Modern, fruity twists for a contemporary Diwali platter.
A Royal Sweet Born from Humble Beginnings
Bread, milk, sugar, ghee — four humble ingredients that a thrifty Mughal-era chef transformed into a dessert fit for kings. Centuries later, we’re still frying, soaking, and serving it with the same affection and awe. Shahi Tukda and Double ka Meeta prove that royal doesn’t have to mean complicated — just thoughtful, patient, and rich with tradition.
My son once said when he was little, “The best thing God ever created was the egg — and the best thing man created was bread.” And honestly, after making this dessert, I’m starting to think he was onto something!
So this Diwali, let your table carry a touch of that Mughal splendour — lush, nostalgic, and full of heart.
Try it, serve it, and share it — and while you’re at it, explore more festive favourites from Essence of Life – Food.
Because some recipes aren't just food - they're stories that have travelled centuries, yet standing tall in your festive table! Diwali or Eid or a craving for a Sweet Tooth, treat yourself with this Royal Dessert!
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