Double ka Meethaडबल का मीठा
Video: Vismai Food (YouTube)
Double ka Meetha is Hyderabad's beloved bread pudding, born from the Nizami kitchens where leftover double roti was transformed into something extraordinary with ghee, saffron, and fragrant sweetened milk. Rich, warming, and perfumed with cardamom and kewra, it appears at every Hyderabadi wedding and Eid gathering, carried out on large platters with quiet pride. The name is pure Hyderabad — 'double' for the bread, 'meetha' for sweet — a dessert that needs no translation to those who grew up with it.
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This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
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Ingredients
- ▪white sandwich bread, thick-cut, crusts removed8 slices
- ▪ghee (clarified butter)4 tbsp
- ▪whole milk2 cups
- ▪heavy cream½ cup
- ▪sugar¾ cup
- ▪green cardamom pods, lightly crushed5 pods
- ▪saffron strands (kesar)a generous pinch
- ▪rose water (gulab jal)1 tsp
- ▪kewra water (screwpine essence)½ tsp
- ▪condensed milk2 tbsp
- For the dry-fruit garnish
- ▪cashews (kaju)2 tbsp
- ▪almonds (badam), blanched and slivered2 tbsp
- ▪pistachios (pista), slivered2 tbsp
- ▪golden raisins (kishmish)1 tbsp
- White sandwich bread (double roti) is traditional; outside India, brioche or thick-cut Texas toast gives a richer, more pillowy result — reduce the ghee by half since brioche is already enriched with butter.
- Kewra water (screwpine essence) defines the Hyderabadi aroma; look for it at South Asian grocery stores under brands like Ruh Kewra or Hamdard. If unavailable, add an extra ½ tsp rose water — the scent will differ but the dessert remains delicious.
- Good saffron is worth sourcing: Iranian or Spanish saffron from Middle Eastern or specialty grocery stores is far superior to low-quality alternatives — steep a generous pinch in warm milk for 10 minutes to draw out the full golden color and flavor.
Method
- 1Dissolve saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm milk and set aside. Cut each bread slice into 2 triangles. In a wide pan, heat the ghee over medium flame and shallow-fry the bread pieces in batches until deeply golden and crisp on both sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, then arrange in a single layer in a greased deep baking dish.
- 2In the same pan, lightly fry the cashews and raisins in residual ghee until cashews are pale gold and raisins plump, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside. Then fry the almonds briefly. Reserve all dry fruits.
- 3In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk and sugar together, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Add the saffron-milk mixture, heavy cream, and condensed milk. Stir in the cardamom, rose water, and kewra water. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and very lightly thickened.
- 4Pour the warm spiced milk evenly over the fried bread, making sure every piece is coated. Press gently so the bread absorbs the liquid. Let rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
- 5Scatter the fried cashews, almonds, raisins, and slivered pistachios evenly over the top.
- 6Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 18–20 minutes, until the top is set and the edges are lightly caramelised. Alternatively, cover tightly and steam on the stovetop over very low heat for 15 minutes.
- 7Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Double ka Meetha is excellent warm, at room temperature, or chilled overnight when the flavors deepen considerably.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.