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It's pumpkin season and most anticipated time of the year, especially for all the spiced dishes and other hearty meals of fall. This Rajasthani sautéed dish is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery lends it a wonderful balance of flavour. The biryani, meanwhile, is packed with aromatic spices, basmati and ghee, which provide enhanced taste to the layers of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week begins around early October, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a rich, comforting, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the vegetable curry component ahead of time and assemble everything on the day you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cooking 2 hr
Yields 4

For the squash and mushroom gravy
4 tbsp ghee, or use butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried bay leaves
4 cloves
450g white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 green bird's eye chillies, lengthwise slit
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 tbsp tomato puree
¼ tsp mild chilli powder, or substitute with mild paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp coriander powder
1 heaped tbsp greek yoghurt
300g butternut squash flesh, cubed
300g button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, as needed
2 tbsp chopped coriander, for serving

Rice preparation
200g basmati rice
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
A pinch of salt

Biryani assembly
2 tbsp melted ghee
1 pinch saffron threads, steeped in warm water
1¼cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tsp ground cardamom powder
1 tsp garam masala
Raita and salad, to serve

First make the gravy. Melt the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, add the cumin, bay leaves and cloves, and sauté for a few seconds. Stir in the onion slices and sauté, frequently turning, for 30-35 minutes, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a plate and reserve (you'll use them later during the assembly).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger to the onions in pan, fry for a brief period, then mix in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and sauté for a short while. Reduce to a low heat, stir in the yogurt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then fry for three minutes. Add the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the temperature, cover and cook gently for about twenty minutes, mixing midway to make sure no sticking to the base of the pot. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then take off the stove.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Wash the basmati, then put it in a saucepan with a litre of water and the bay, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a boil, cook for 10-12 minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

For assembling the layered dish, place a spoonful of melted ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Spoon one portion the vegetable curry, then layer with some the cooked grains. Add half the saffron infusion, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and spice blend, then top with the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of vegetable curry, then spoon on the leftover rice. Finish with the rest of clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Cover with baking paper, cover with the lid, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Take out of the oven, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and serve with yogurt sauce and fresh salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Squash with Spice Blend Stir-Fry)

The Hindi term "achari" refers to flavouring a preparation using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida and nigella, but their use extends beyond in pickles. This mixture also appears in various types of curries and sautéed preparations, like this recipe.

Preparation 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pinch asafoetida
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
750g squash flesh, or pumpkin, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, as needed
1 tbsp jaggery, or substitute with brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Add the ground spices and the asafoetida, and fry, mixing, for a few seconds. Add the chopped ginger, cook for a short while, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour 50ml liquid to the pan, salt with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Place lid, turn down the heat, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a little, then incorporate the dried mango, stir well and serve warm with flatbreads or leavened bread.