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It's squash season and my favourite season, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Rajasthani stir-fry is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of ginger, chili and jaggery lends it a wonderful flavor harmony. The biryani, meanwhile, is loaded with aromatic spices, long-grain rice and ghee, which provide so much more flavour to the layers of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on early October, so what better way to celebrate than with a flavorful, comforting, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, make the spiced vegetable mixture component in advance and layer all components on the occasion you want to serve.

Preparation 20 min
Cook 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 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

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, to serve

Begin by preparing the curry base. Melt the clarified butter in a sizable, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin, bay leaves and cloves, and sauté for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and cook, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a plate and set aside (for later use during the assembly).

Add the green chillies and ginger strips to the onions in pan, fry for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and sauté for a minute. Reduce to a gentle flame, stir in the yoghurt and simmer for two minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spices, then fry for several minutes. Add the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then lower the temperature, place lid and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure nothing's stuck to the base of the pan. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then take off the heat.

Preheat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the rice, then place it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom and seasoning. Heat to boiling, cook for around ten minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then drain.

For assembling the layered dish, place a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the vegetable curry, then top that with half the cooked grains. Sprinkle a portion the saffron water, ginger strips, mint leaves, ground cardamom and garam masala, then top with the reserved fried onions. Layer with the remaining vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover rice. Finish with the rest of clarified butter, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Seal with baking paper, cover with the lid, then bake on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so all the flavours infuse the grains. Take out of the heat, allow to stand, keeping covered, for several minutes, then remove the cover and serve with raita and fresh salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Squash with Spice Blend Sauté)

The Indian word "achari" refers to flavouring a preparation using preserving spices, and the mix includes mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin seeds, hing and kalonji, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. The blend also features in all manner of curries and stir-fries, such as this one.

Preparation 10 min
Cooking 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 pumpkin, cubed
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, fenugreek and fennel seeds in a mortar, crush coarsely, then reserve. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a medium heat. Add the ground spices and the asafoetida, and fry, stirring, for a few seconds. Add the ginger, cook for a minute, then add the squash, chilli and turmeric, and fry, tossing, for several additional minutes.

Pour 50ml water to the pan, season with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, turn down the flame, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a bit, then incorporate the dried mango, stir well and present hot with flatbreads or naan.