Indian Bread Pudding

• This, the Indian equivalent of the English bread and butter pudding, is rather a special dessert, usually cooked for weddings or other special occasions.

Indian Bread Pudding

Ingredients
6 medium slices bread
5 tbsp ghee (preferably pure)
10 tbsp sugar
1 ¼ cups water
3 green cardamoms, without husks
2 ½ cups milk
¾ cup evaporated milk or khoya (see cooks’ tip)
½ tsp saffron strands

To decorate:
8 pistachios, soaked, peeled, and chopped
Chopped almonds
2 leaves varq (silver leaf) (optional)
 

1. Cut the bread slices into quarters.
2. Heat the ghee in a skillet and fry the bread slices, turning once, until crisp and golden brown in colour.
3. Place the fried bread in the bottom of a heatproof dish and set aside.
4. To make syrup, place the sugar, water, and cardamom seeds in a pan and bring to a boil until the syrup thickens.
5. Pour the syrup over the fried bread.
6. In a sperate pan, bring the milk, evaporated milk or khoya, and the saffron to a boil over a low heat until the milk has halved in volume.
7. Pour the milk over the syrup-coated bread.
8. Decorate with the pistachios, chopped almonds, and varq (if using). Serve the bread pudding with or without cream.

Cook’s Tip
To make khoya, bring 3 ¾ cups milk to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan, watching the milk carefully so that is doesn’t burn. Reduce the heat and boil for 35 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The milk should reduce to a quarter of its volume, and when completely cooked should resemble a sticky dough.
 

Serves : 4 - 6