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This marks squash season and my favourite season, especially for all the spiced dishes and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Rajasthani sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the blend of ginger, chilli 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 enhanced flavour to the strata of grains and produce.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes begins around October 6, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a rich, comforting, all-in-one-pot biryani? For convenience, make the vegetable curry element ahead of time and layer all components on the occasion you want to serve.

Preparation 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 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, 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, cubed
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, steeped in 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

First make the curry base. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, incorporate the cumin, bay and cloves, and sauté for a brief moment. Add the onion slices and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. When the onions start to brown, transfer half of them to a separate dish and reserve (you'll use them later during the layering).

Introduce the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the onions in pan, cook for a minute, then mix in the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and sauté for a minute. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yogurt and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, stir to coat in the spices, then cook for several minutes. Add the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to make sure nothing's stuck to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then remove from the stove.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the rice, then put it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10-12 minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then drain.

To build the biryani, put a spoonful of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a secure cover. Ladle in half the spiced vegetables, then top that with half the cooked grains. Add half the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala, then top with the reserved fried onions. Top with the remaining curry mixture, then arrange the leftover rice. Finish with the remaining clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and spice mix.

Seal with parchment, place lid securely, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas infuse the rice. Take out of the heat, leave to rest, keeping covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the cover and present with yogurt sauce and fresh salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Spice Blend Sauté)

The Indian word "pickling style" describes seasoning a dish using pickling spices, and the mix contains mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, hing and nigella, but they're not used only in preserved foods. The blend also features in various types of curries and sautéed preparations, such as this one.

Prep 10 min
Cook 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 dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds in a mortar, roughly grind, then reserve. Put the oil in a spacious skillet or Indian wok on a medium heat. Add the crushed spices and the hing, and sauté, stirring, for a brief moment. Add the chopped ginger, fry for a short while, then stir in the squash, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Add 50ml water to the pan, season with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Place lid, turn down the flame, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Mix in the palm sugar, crushing some of the pieces a little, then incorporate the mango powder, mix thoroughly and serve warm with chapatis or naan.