It's A Small World....

It's a world of laughter

A world of tears

It's a world of hopes

And a world of fears

There's so much that we share

That it's time we're aware

It's a small world after all

There is just one moon

And one golden sun

And a smile means

Friendship to ev'ryone

Though the mountains divide

And the oceans are wide

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small, small world
says Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. How true the lyrics are. Many are the occasion/times when I thought/felt “How small the world is!”.....Some days back when I posted Spicy Prawn Fry recipe I received a comment from Valarmathi of Simple And Yummy Recipes. Following the comment I went to check her blog to know what she posted that day. To my amazement she too posted Prawn Fry recipe. The pictures of my recipe and her recipe look almost same and I learned that she is also from Bangalore. I left a comment in her post asking her, “Where does she stay in Bangalore?” An hour later I got a message from her with an area name. To increase my amazement we both are staying in the same area and then again I rushed back to her blog and left a comment saying, I know this world is so small but it this small I came to know now only. By knowing we two are staying very near by or in the same area my thoughts began to roll. I thought who could be she? Did we pass each other anytime on the street? What if she is staying in the same apartment? Again when I went to check her blog I noticed another blog other than food blog in her list. I clicked on the blog name and found that she is having a doggie by name Spike (a cute German Shepherd) and there were some snaps of the Spike. The wardrobes and balcony in the pictures look same as that of my flat. I rechecked again and again, by now my heart is beating out very fast out of exuberance. This is all because we both are staying in the same apartment. It was almost night till I got confirmed that we both are staying in the same apartment. I got up and completed my morning chores and rushed to ring the bell of her flat. No one opened the door. I thought she is not at home. I came back and again went through her blog. Later in the evening I slowly went to her flat and rang the bell. I thought what I am going to tell her? How I am going to introduce myself? I kept on thinking…..She opened the door and I just said Hi, and asked r u Valarmathi the food blogger? Without any delay she said hello are you Lubna of Kitchen Flavours. I just can’t believe till today how this all happened. From that day there is no looking back…..we became so close as if we were friends from childhood days. We not only share foods, cultures, interests, hobbies, recipes,…..we go out together, shop together, spend so many hours talking about everything, having lunches together, cooking for one another…… Can you believe if I say that we two were staying in the same apartment since a year and we didn’t even see each other or know each other before….hmmm that’s the life in fast and very fast running cities dear friends.

Friendship is a lifetime celebration....to celebrate it in a simple, sweet and special way I prepared Gajar Ka Halwa/Carrot Halwa.(I blogged about carrot halwa before also, you can have a look at the recipe here). This is another simple variation of the recipe. Gajar/Carrots are full of nutrients. No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A. Carrots are excellent source of vitamins B and C as well as calcium pectate, an extraordinary pectin fibre that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering properties. They also contain a form of calcium which is easily absorbed by the body. Finally they also contain Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous and Sulphur - better than a wonder drug!! isn't it? Here comes a simple recipe to make this flavourful and aromatic halwa.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg Carrots, washed, peeled, and grated
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tbsp Cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup lukewarm Milk
• 100 gm Cashew nuts
• Ghee

PREPERATION:

• Add ghee to heavy bottom cooking vessel and fry cashew nuts till light golden brown and set aside.
• In the same ghee add grated carrots and fry them on low flame till the raw smell disapears. Now add cardamom powder and sugar.
• Cook till sugar melts and gets dissolved with the carrots. Stir lightly.
• Once the grated carrots are soft enough add lukewarm milk and mix well.
• Now cook till the milk gets absorbed by the grated carrots (on a very low flame).
• Serve hot by garnishing with fried cashew nuts.
• Last but not least add your 'love' to make the dish 'YUMMY'.

This Gajar Ka Halwa is going to participate in JUST FOR YOU event hosted by Alka of Sindhi Rasoi. Alka is hosting this event in celebration of her blog's first birthday. Happy Birthday Sindhi Rasoi. Wish you tons and tons of yummy wishes. Come indulge with us Alka and also this recipe is going to participate in Recipes For Rest Of Us - Desserts hosted by Varsha of Will-O'-The-Wisp. This event is started by Ramki of One Page Cookbook. The first picture is going to participate in Magnificent Click Contest-2009 by Gayathri of Just Urs.