Dilkhush: The Stuffed Bread That Does Exactly As Advertised
Image Credit: YouTube @My Home My Dream

Dilkhush is a stuffed bread dish from the bakeries of South India that serves as the perfect tea-time snack or a treat for the kids in the house. The origin of this bread can be traced back to the colonial times when the British and other foreign occupants in India influenced the creation of this sweet bread. The bakeries in India at the time used this dish to put their own spin on it and that is how it led to Dilkhush. The base of this dish is the bread which is made from a yeast-based dough, commonly known as milk bread. The stuffing consists of coconut and jaggery based filling, sprinkled with candied fruits or tutti fruti which adds texture to the bread when one bites into it. Spiced with cardamom, this bread can also have dried fruits or nuts in the filling, that is light, sweet and oh-so flavourful! 

Image Credit: YouTube @I Love My Kerala Food

 

Dilkhush is most loved in Hyderabad, but other regions have their variations of it. In Hyderabad, bakeries make use of the leftover cake pieces in the filling and add red food colouring to the dough and this variation is called Dilpasand. Although similar in preparation, the subtle variations in the layers of filling makes them non-identical in taste and texture. Dilkhush, is a seemingly plain round bread from the outside but the magic truly reveals itself when you cut it open to reveal the goodness inside. The dish does exactly as advertised, as the name 'Dilkhush' literally translates to heartwarming or something that would make your heart happy. Home bakers and bakeries in Southern India relish in making this bread and it is celebrated as a dessert, a sweet treat or the perfect foil to your afternoon tea.