Hawa Hawai, Panchmahal hotel special curry

Hawa Hawai was our  favourite childhood dish. The name sounds sexy isn’t it ? As I have already shared in the space back then as kids, there was a tradition of Amma making Pulav every Saturday’s and Pappa would get some vegetarian gravy from different vegetarian restaurant’s . This particular dish was introduced to us by our Pappa. He used to get this curry from a popular restaurant called “Panchmahal’s Annapurna restaurant.” probably in the mid 90’s. But unfortunately now the restaurant has stopped service and we miss that curry very badly .

My younger sister Durga Nayak who is  enthusiastic in cooking new recipes   came to the rescue ,experimented and developed this recipe which matches almost the same .  I had tried it long back but was out of hand for clicking appropriate pictures as we were busy in tasting the gravy. So this time when my other younger sister, twin of Durga , Shanta Nayak made it at Amma’s place  was generous enough and asked me to quickly click the pictures for the blog.. This curry is fingerlicking good and a keeper.

Recipe credit : Durga Nayak

Special thanks to : Shanta Nayak

Ingredients :

Lady’s finger / Okra/ Bhendi – 4, cut into roundels

Tendli/Ivy gourd – 5 , cut into roundels

Brinjal – few slices

Paneer – 200 g

Carrot – 1 small, cut into strips

Mushroom – 200 g, sliced

Coloured capsicum – 1/4 cup

Onions – 3 ,sliced

Oil – 4 tbsp approx

Other ingredients:

Cashewnut paste – 10 – 12 , boil and make a paste

Onion paste – 4 onions, boil and make a  paste

Ginger garlic paste – 1tbsp

Coriander powder – 2tsp

Garam masala powder- 2 tsp

Chilly powder – 2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Ghee – 1tbsp

Butter – 25 g

Sugar – pinch

Salt – to taste

Cheese cubes – 4 slices, to garnish

Cashewnut bits – 1/4 cup, roasted to garnish

Home made paneer crumbles – 1/4 cup to garnish( we ignored adding this time)

Method:

1. Heat 4 tbsp of oil and shallow fry paneer,carrot and other vegetables one by one until slightly roasted.
2. Keep it ready.
3. Heat ghee and butter, saute onion paste until raw smell disappears.
4. Add tomato puree and ginger garlic paste, saute until raw smell disappears.
5. Add garam masala powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder.
6. Add the roasted vegetables .
7. Add cashewnut paste, water and adjust the gravy.
8. Add salt to taste and sugar.
9. Take a boil.
10. Garnish with roasted cashewnut bits,cheese and grated paneer.