Ingredients

The rabarhi

Milk - 1 liter (4 1/4 cups)

Green cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Kewra – 2 drops

The Bread                    

White bread (1/4" thick) - 24 slices

Milk - 1 liter (4 1/4 cups)

Zaafraan (saffron) - 1 tsp

Ghee (clarified butter) to deep fry bread

Ggreen bell peppers – juliennes - 1

Sun dried tomatoes - 30 gm (1 oz)

Ghee (clarified butter) - 50 gm (1/4 cup)

The syrup

Sugar - 400g (14 oz)

Kewra - 1 drop

The filling

24 Pineapple rings (canned; dice) - 24

Sugar - 55gm (1/4 cup)

Cinnamon powder- 11/2 tsp

The garnish

Almonds (blanch, cool, peel and cut into slivers) - 12

Zaafraan (saffron) - 12

Milk - 1 tbsp

Edible silver foil - 12

Preparation

1. The rabarhi: Put milk in a pan, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and then cook, stirring constantly, until milk is reduced to 350ml (11/2 cups) and acquires a granular consistency. Then pass through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, add cardamom and kewra, mix well and refrigerate. Remove at the time of assembling and divide into 12 equal portions.

2. The bread: Remove the crust and cut into roundels. Heat ghee in a kadhai (wok) and deep-fry the roundels over medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Drain and keep aside.

3. The milk: Break saffron threads with a pestle. Put milk in a large, flat, thick-bottomed handi (pan), add saffron, bring to a boil, remove and keep aside.

4. The syrup: Boil sugar with water (200ml / 3/4 cup + 4 tsp) to make a syrup of one-string consistency, removing scum at regular intervals. Then add the remaining ingredients and stir. Keep warm.

5. The garnish: Crush saffron threads with a pestle or the back of a spoon, reserve in lukewarm milk to make a paste and then grind into a paste at the time of cooking.

6. The filling: Put sugar and 45ml (3 tbs) of water in a frying pan, add diced pineapple and cinnamon powder, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove and divide into 12 equal portions.

7. The tukhra: Soak the fried bread in the boiled milk, the roundels placed an inch apart, put the pan on heat and simmer until the milk is almost absorbed, turning once, very carefully, with a spatula ensuring the bread does not break. Then pour on the warm syrup and cook over low heat until the syrup is absorbed (approx 3-4 minutes).

Assembling

1. Carefully remove and arrange one tukhra in the middle of each of 12 individual dessert plates, evenly spread a portion of stewed pineapple on it, cover with the remaining tukhra and evenly spread a portion of rabarhi on top. Garnish with nuts, sprinkle saffron, cover with chandi ka varq and serve warm.

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