Celebrating 500 Posts with a Cookbook Giveaway and Carrot Halwa/Gajar ka Halwa

I started 'Oh Taste n See' in 2010 as a pass time, as a way of keeping myself engaged while taking a break. I never realized I would grow to love and learn so much with this blog and make new friends. And, I never thought that I could keep this going for so long as to reach 500 posts. This blog has been an oasis of 'me time' - my own, precious niche that has given me joy when the other part of life has been so very hectic, and I am happy to have seen this grow and now be a source of many versatile recipes.

To celebrate this milestone, and also to thank everyone who visits my blog I am doing a give away. I am going to be giving away one of my favorite cookbooks - 'Anyone Can Bake'. With the Holiday season upon us, I thought what a better book to give away than one that could walk you step by step through baking a dish and make you look like a pro. This book is one of my most favorite baking books, as the techniques are explained with step by step pictures which builds you the confidence to be able to give any baked dish a try.

Now, what should you do to be eligible for this giveaway:

1. Leave a comment with what is your most favorite dish on 'Oh Taste n See'on this post AND

2. Like the 'Oh Taste n See' Facebook page.

The giveaway runs from today until the 15th of November.

It is eligible for residents of the US and India.

Multiple entries are accepted.

I wanted to celebrate this giveaway with something sweet - a dessert dish, and I've spent a lot of time contemplating what that it should be - which explains the gap between my last post and this one. Carrot Halwa is a super easy and tasty dish to make, with items you most likely have on hand at all times. Some people make this with condensed milk, and/or khoa, but this version is made straight up with milk, sugar, carrots and a garnish of cashews and raisins. Here is a fuss free recipe:

Heat the ghee in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the broken cashews and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Next fry the raisins until they plump up. Remove with the slotted spoon. Add the grated carrots and a pinch of salt and saute for a couple of minutes until the carrots turn color and are coated in the ghee. Add in the milk and let cook until all the milk is absorbed by the carrots and the carrots are soft. Add the sugar and cook further, until all the liquid is absorbed and the halwa comes together in one mass. Sprinkle in the cardamom powder and add in the reserved fried cashews and raisins. Serve warm or for extra deliciousness top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Verdict: The carrot halwa is decadent with the ghee and cashews, and is perfect for any celebration. It is also a dish that doesn't require a lot of time and often times can be made with ingredients in your pantry and fridge already. It is also not like other halwas where it needs incessant stirring. It is easy and fulfilling!