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It's pumpkin season and most anticipated time of the year, especially for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. This Rajasthani sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the combination of ginger, chili and palm sugar lends it a lovely flavor harmony. The biryani, on the other hand, is loaded with aromatic spices, long-grain rice and ghee, which give so much more flavour to the strata of grains and vegetables.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

National curry week starts on early October, so how perfect to celebrate than with a rich, warming, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, prepare the vegetable curry component in advance and layer all components on the day you plan to eat.

Preparation 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Serves 4

For the vegetable curry base
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, slit open lengthways
5cm piece fresh ginger, julienned
2 tbsp tomato puree
¼ tsp mild chilli powder, or kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp coriander powder
1 heaped tbsp greek yoghurt
300g butternut squash flesh, cut into bite-sized pieces
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or use 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

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

Begin by preparing the gravy. Melt the ghee in a sizable, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, add the cumin, bay and clove spices, and sauté for a brief moment. 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 (you'll use them later during the layering).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger to the remaining onions, fry for a brief period, then mix in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and fry for a minute. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yoghurt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spices, then cook for several minutes. Add the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the temperature, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the basmati, then put it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom pods and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then strain.

To build the layered dish, place a spoonful of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Spoon half the spiced vegetables, then top that with half the cooked grains. Sprinkle a portion the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala, then top with the reserved fried onions. Layer with the rest of vegetable curry, then spoon on the leftover rice. Top with the remaining ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, cover with the lid, then cook on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so all the flavours infuse the rice. Take out of the heat, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the cover and present with yogurt sauce and fresh salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Squash with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Hindi term "achari" refers to flavouring a dish using preserving spices, and the mix includes mustard, fennel, fenugreek seeds, cumin, asafoetida and nigella, but their use extends beyond in pickles. The blend also appears in all manner of spiced dishes and stir-fries, such as this one.

Prep 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 use pumpkin, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, as needed
1 tbsp jaggery, or dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Put the oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a medium heat. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and sauté, stirring, for a few seconds. Mix in the chopped ginger, fry for a minute, then add the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour a small amount liquid to the pot, season with salt to taste and bring to a boil. Place lid, reduce the heat, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway. Mix in the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a little, then incorporate the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with chapatis or naan.