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It's squash season and most anticipated season, especially for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Northwest Indian sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the blend of ginger, chilli and palm sugar gives it a lovely flavor harmony. This layered rice dish, on the other hand, is packed with whole spices, long-grain rice and ghee, which provide enhanced flavour to the strata of grains and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes begins around October 6, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a rich, warming, all-in-one-pot biryani? For convenience, make the spiced vegetable mixture element in advance and layer everything on the occasion you plan to eat.

Preparation 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, slit open lengthways
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, to garnish

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

For the biryani
2 tbsp melted ghee
1 pinch saffron threads, steeped in 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 curry base. Heat the ghee in a large, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves and clove spices, and fry for a few seconds. Stir in the sliced onion and cook, frequently turning, for 30-35 minutes, until softened. When the onions start to brown, remove half to a separate dish and set aside (for later use during the assembly).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, cook for a minute, then mix in the tomato puree, chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder, and sauté for a minute. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yogurt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then cook for three minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and season to taste. Heat until boiling, then lower the heat, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to ensure nothing's stuck to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then remove from the stove.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the basmati, then place it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom and salt. Heat to boiling, simmer for 10-12 minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then drain.

To build the biryani, place a spoonful of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the spiced vegetables, then top that with some the cooked grains. Sprinkle half the saffron infusion, ginger, mint leaves, ground cardamom and spice blend, then add the caramelized onions. Layer with the rest of curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover grains. Finish with the rest of clarified butter, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and spice mix.

Cover with parchment, cover with the lid, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas soak into the rice. Take out of the heat, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the lid and serve with yogurt sauce and fresh salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Pickling Spices Sauté)

The Indian word "pickling style" refers to flavouring a preparation using pickling spices, and the combination contains mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, hing and nigella, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. The blend also features in various types of spiced dishes and sautéed preparations, such as this one.

Preparation 10 min
Cooking 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, minced
750g squash flesh, or pumpkin, cubed
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

Put the mustard, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar, crush coarsely, then reserve. Put the cooking oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a medium heat. Introduce the crushed spices and the hing, and sauté, stirring, for a few seconds. Add the chopped ginger, fry for a short while, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, tossing, for five minutes more.

Add a small amount water to the pot, salt with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Mix in the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then incorporate the mango powder, mix thoroughly and serve warm with chapatis or leavened bread.