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It's squash season and my favourite season, especially for all the curries and other hearty meals of fall. Today's Northwest Indian sautéed dish is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of fresh ginger, chilli and jaggery gives it a lovely flavor harmony. This layered rice dish, on the other hand, is loaded with whole spices, basmati and ghee, which provide enhanced taste to the layers of rice and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on early October, so what better way to celebrate than with a flavorful, warming, single-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, make the vegetable curry element ahead of time and assemble 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 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 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, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, for serving

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, 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, to serve

Begin by preparing the gravy. Heat the clarified butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, incorporate the cumin, bay leaves and cloves, and fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a plate and set aside (you'll use them later during the layering).

Add the green chillies and ginger to the onions in pan, cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric and coriander, and fry for a minute. Reduce to a low heat, blend in the yogurt and simmer for two minutes.

Mix in the squash and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spices, then fry for three minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to ensure no sticking to the base of the pot. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then remove from the stove.

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

To build the layered dish, place a spoonful of melted ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a secure cover. Spoon half the spiced vegetables, then layer with some the cooked grains. Sprinkle a portion the saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala, then top with the caramelized onions. Layer with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover grains. Top with the remaining clarified butter, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, cover with the lid, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so all the flavours infuse the grains. Take out of the oven, allow to stand, still covered, for several minutes, then remove the cover and present with yogurt sauce and salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Squash with Spice Blend Sauté)

The Hindi term "achari" describes flavouring a preparation using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin seeds, asafoetida and kalonji, but they're not used only in pickles. This mixture also appears in various types of curries and stir-fries, like this recipe.

Prep 10 min
Cook 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 seeds and fennel in a mortar, crush coarsely, then reserve. Heat the oil in a spacious skillet or Indian wok on a medium heat. Introduce the crushed spices and the asafoetida, and sauté, mixing, for a brief moment. Add the chopped ginger, cook for a short while, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for five minutes more.

Add 50ml liquid to the pot, season with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, reduce the heat, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a little, then incorporate the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with flatbreads or leavened bread.