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It's squash season and my favourite season, not least for all the spiced dishes and other hearty meals of fall. Today's Rajasthani sautéed dish is a regular in my kitchen, and the combination of fresh ginger, chilli and jaggery lends it a wonderful balance of flavour. The biryani, on the other hand, is loaded with whole spices, long-grain rice and ghee, which give so much more taste to the strata of rice and vegetables.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

National curry week begins around early October, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a rich, comforting, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, make the vegetable curry component ahead of time and assemble everything on the day you plan to eat.

Prep 20 min
Cooking 2 hr
Yields 4

For the squash and mushroom gravy
4 tbsp ghee, or butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried bay leaves
4 cloves
450g white onions, thinly sliced
3 green bird's eye chillies, lengthwise slit
5cm piece fresh ginger, julienned
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 use water
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

For the rice
200g basmati rice
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
A pinch of salt

Biryani assembly
2 tbsp melted ghee
1 pinch saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
1¼cm piece fresh ginger, julienned
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tsp ground cardamom powder
1 tsp garam masala
Raita and salad, as accompaniments

First make the gravy. Melt the clarified butter in a sizable, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin, bay and clove spices, and fry for a brief moment. Stir in the onion slices and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until tender. When the onions start to brown, transfer half of them to a plate and reserve (for later use during the layering).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger to the remaining onions, cook for a brief period, then stir in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and fry for a minute. Reduce to a gentle flame, blend in the yogurt and simmer for two minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, stir to coat in the spices, then cook for three minutes. Add the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the temperature, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure nothing's stuck to the base of the pan. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then remove from the stove.

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

To build the layered dish, place a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a secure cover. Spoon half the spiced vegetables, then top that with some the cooked grains. Sprinkle half the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then arrange the leftover grains. Finish with the remaining ghee, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, cover with the lid, then bake on the center rack of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so all the flavours infuse the grains. Remove of the heat, allow to stand, still covered, for several minutes, then lift off the cover and serve with yogurt sauce and fresh salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Spice Blend Sauté)

The Hindi term "pickling style" refers to seasoning a dish using pickling spices, and the combination contains mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida and kalonji, but they're not used only in preserved foods. The blend also features in various types of curries and stir-fries, like this recipe.

Preparation 10 min
Cook 30 min
Yields 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, minced
750g squash flesh, or use pumpkin, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp jaggery, or substitute with brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a spice grinder, roughly grind, then set aside. Put the cooking oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a medium heat. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and fry, stirring, for a brief moment. Add the chopped ginger, cook for a minute, then add the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, tossing, for five minutes more.

Pour 50ml water to the pan, season with seasoning to taste and heat until bubbling. Place lid, reduce the flame, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then add the mango powder, mix thoroughly and present hot with flatbreads or leavened bread.