Shahi Tukray with Pistachio and Coconut Cream in 8 Steps

This blogpost is a fourth installment of the Chef Table's series.

To read about Chef Massimo Bottura's episode click on Butter Chicken's recipe.

To read about Chef Barber's episode click on Som Tum's recipe.

To read about Chef Francis Mallmann's episode click on T-Bone Steaks' recipe.

Episode 4: Niki Nakayama - n/naka in Los Angeles

Chef Niki Nakayama explains that when she is cooking, her mind is completely shut off, and she finds herself in a meditative state. Cooking gives her the freedom to be bold and expressive. Niki’s episode is the most unique in this series. Being the only woman featured in Chef's Table she discusses sexism. She had to overcome sexism not only in her Asian culture, but also in the male dominated restaurant business. She discusses being a woman she knew, in order to succeed in the culinary field, she had to work harder than everyone else.

Her story is also important because she is a Los Angeles chef. LA unlike any other North American city does not have a European core. LA neighborhoods are divided into Latin and Asian culinary regions. So having an Asian Chef succeed in LA, while staying true to the Asian tradition of cooking, is very telling of the influences one’s local region has on his or her cooking. In her restaurant, she follows the Japanese Kaiseki tradition which is very much about the cohesive flow between ingredients. Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner.

Cooking just like any other creative medium is an expression of ancestral and local influences. Children of immigrants, like yours truly, have the benefit of being exposed to the food of their parents, and the country of their birth. It is no wonder that so many second generation children grow up to be foodies.

Cooking for me sometimes is a pursuit of learning about the historical evolution of a dish. I have always found Shahi Tukray quite intriguing. Shahi Tukray is a South Asian dessert literally translated to Royal Pieces. The name of the dessert in itself is quite enigmatic. The word Shahi (royal) is Persian, and Tukray (pieces) is Urdu. The dessert is a South Asian variation of bread pudding, comprised of fried bread pieces soaked in saffron cream, and garnished with pistachios.

The origins of this dessert can be traced back to the Moghul Empire. The Moghul Dynasty ruled South Asia from circa 1526 to 1857. The dynasty was brought to an end by the British invasion in 1858. The Moghul rulers were originally from Persia, hence the part-Persian name of this dessert. In addition to the linguistic evidence, the inclusion of pistachios and saffron also indicate this dessert's Persian origins. Furthermore, the inclusion of bread indicates Shahi Tukray's European influence, which can be attributed to the two hundred year long British rule of South Asia.

As much as I was fascinated by the origins of this South Asian dessert, I have always found Shahi Tukray to be very one-dimensional. So, I wanted to come up with a recipe that was flavorful and paid homage to this dessert's Persian influences. That's why I decided to make a pistachio and coconut cream infused with rose water, cardamom, and saffron. The result is a regal dessert which lives up to its namesake.

Shahi Tukray with Pistachio & Coconut Cream
Shahi Tukray literally means Royal Pieces. So here I present to you the most literal regal dessert from South Asia. The recipe will be up on www.cultivateflavors.com on Friday.
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Sunday, March 13, 2016

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: Overnight

Ingredients
6 slices of white milk bread (using Trader Joe's Buttermilk Bread)
3 cups of whole milk
2 cups of whipping cream
1 cup of coconut milk
Seeds of 5 cardamoms
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/3 cup of pistachios
1 tablespoon of rose water
A pinch of saffron strands (available at Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup of oil
Garnish
2 tablespoons of pistachio (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon of dried rose buds

Step 1: Remove the crust of the bread slices. Cut each slice into four triangles, as shown in the video.

Step 2: In a Vitamix or a blender, add whole milk, whipping cream, coconut milk, cardamom seeds, sugar, pistachios, rose water, and saffron strands. Blitz.

Step 3: Transfer the blended cream to a pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the cream is boiling reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the cream reduces to half of its volume. Stir once in a while to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom.

Step 4: In the meanwhile, heat up oil and fry the bread pieces over high heat until the slices turn golden on both sides. Places the bread slices on kitchen towel, to drain all of the excess oil. Change the kitchen towel twice, to prevent the slices to sit there in oil drenched paper towel.

Step 5: Turn off the stove once the cream has thickened and reduced.

Step 6: In a rectangle serving dish, pour a little of cream, enough to cover the dish.

Step 7: One by one dip the slices in the pot containg the cream. Coat them well. Arrange the slices on the rectangle serving dish. Make sure the slices do not overlap. Pour over the remaining cream. Make sure the bread slices are generously covered. Refer to the video.

Step 8: Garnish with sliced pistachios and dried rose buds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy this delectable regal dessert worthy of its name, Shahi Tukray.