Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,585

1/4 cup Dessert Masala
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds
2 to 3 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
1 pound long French bread or rolls, cut into 2-by-1-inch pieces
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 to 6 (4-inch) silver leaves

1. Prepare the dessert masala. Place the evaporated milk in a large microwave-safe bowl and cook on high power 4 minutes, to reduce the milk by about a third. Mix in the condensed milk and cook another 4 minutes on high power. Remove from the microwave and mix in the cardamom seeds.

2. Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer, or until a piece of bread dropped into the hot oil rises to the top after 15 to 20 seconds. Add the bread pieces, in 2 or 3 batches, and fry, turning each piece until crisp and golden, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

3. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and boil over high heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the pan on low heat and, using tongs, dip each fried piece of bread in the sugar syrup and transfer to a serving platter. Arrange all the pieces in an overlapping manner, making a mound or plateau.

4. Pour the thickened milk mixture evenly over the mound in a thin stream, making sure all the pieces are covered. Garnish with silver leaves and dessert masala. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate at least 4 hours, and serve chilled.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,585
Calories from Fat: 1,095

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Desserts
Almond and Saffron Halva
Almond and Saffron Kheer Pudding
Authentic Curdled Milk Fudge
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Basic White Milk Fudge
Basic White Milk Fudge with Cream
Basic White Milk Fudge with Pistachio Bits
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Bengali Rice Pudding
Bharti's Milk Cake
Caramelized Milk Balls in Thick Syrup
Caramelized Yogurt
Cellophane Noodles in Cardamom-Saffron Syrup
Corn Custard
Creamy Milk Pudding with Almonds and Saffron
Creamy Milk Pudding with Summer Fruits
Creamy Semolina Pancakes with Thickened Milk
Decadent Carrot Halva with Evaporated Milk and Jaggery
French Roll Bread Pudding
Fresh Fruit in Rose-Flavored Cream
Himachali Nuts
Indian Ice Cream with Almonds
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Indian Ice Cream with Saffron
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Lychee Ice Cream Dessert
Mango Ice Cream Dessert
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Microwave Milk Pudding
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Paneer Cheese Kheer Pudding
Paneer Cheese Patties in Creamy Thickened Milk
Parsi Pressed Rice Flakes Pudding
Parsi Semolina Pudding
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Pressure-Cooked Caramel Custard
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Ricotta Cheese Cake
Saffron Curdled Milk Patties
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