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It's squash season and most anticipated time of the year, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of fall. This Rajasthani sautéed dish is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of fresh ginger, chilli and jaggery lends it a lovely balance of flavour. This layered rice dish, meanwhile, is packed with aromatic spices, basmati and clarified butter, which give enhanced flavour to the strata of rice and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week begins around October 6, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a flavorful, comforting, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the spiced vegetable mixture component in advance and layer everything on the occasion you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Serves 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, 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 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, to taste
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, soaked in 3 tbsp 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, as accompaniments

Begin by preparing the curry base. Heat the clarified butter in a sizable, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, add the cumin, bay leaves and clove spices, and fry for a brief moment. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. When the onions start to brown, remove half to a separate dish and reserve (for later use during the assembly).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, cook for a brief period, then mix in the tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and fry for a minute. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yoghurt and simmer for two minutes.

Mix in the squash and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then fry for several minutes. Add the stock or water, and season to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the heat, place lid and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to ensure nothing's stuck to the base of the pan. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then remove from the stove.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the rice, then place it in a saucepan with a litre of water and the bay, cardamom pods and seasoning. Heat to boiling, cook for around ten minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then strain.

To build the biryani, put a spoonful of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a secure cover. Ladle in one portion the spiced vegetables, then layer with some the rice. Add a portion the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, cardamom powder and spice blend, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then arrange the remaining grains. Finish with the rest of clarified butter, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with baking paper, place lid securely, then bake on the center rack of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas soak into the grains. Remove of the heat, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the lid and present with yogurt sauce and salad.

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

The Hindi term "achari" refers to seasoning a preparation using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida and nigella, but they're not used only in preserved foods. This mixture also appears in various types of curries and sautéed preparations, 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, to taste
1 tbsp jaggery, or dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Heat the oil in a spacious skillet or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Introduce the crushed spices and the hing, and fry, mixing, for a few seconds. Mix in the ginger, fry for a minute, then add the pumpkin pieces, chilli and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for five minutes more.

Pour a small amount liquid to the pan, salt with salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Mix in the palm sugar, crushing some of the pieces a little, then add the dried mango, mix thoroughly and present hot with flatbreads or naan.