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This marks pumpkin season and most anticipated season, especially for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Rajasthani sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the combination of ginger, chili and palm sugar gives it a wonderful balance of flavour. This layered rice dish, on the other hand, is packed with aromatic spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which provide enhanced flavour to the layers of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week starts on October 6, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a rich, warming, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the vegetable curry element in advance and assemble everything on the occasion you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 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, cut into bite-sized pieces
300g button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
400ml vegetable stock, or 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

For the biryani
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 gravy. Heat the clarified butter in a large, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin seeds, bay leaves and clove spices, and fry for a brief moment. Stir in the onion slices and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a separate dish and set aside (for later use during the layering).

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

Mix in the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, stir to coat in the spices, then fry for three minutes. Add the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the temperature, cover and simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure no sticking to the base of the pot. Sprinkle with coriander, then take off the stove.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Rinse the rice, then place it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom pods and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

To build the biryani, put a tablespoon of melted ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the vegetable curry, then top that with some the rice. Sprinkle half the saffron water, ginger, mint leaves, ground cardamom and garam masala, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover rice. Finish with the remaining ghee, 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 all the flavours infuse the rice. Remove of the oven, allow to stand, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the lid and present with raita and fresh salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Indian word "achari" describes seasoning a preparation using pickling spices, and the mix contains mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and nigella, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. This mixture also features in all manner of spiced dishes and stir-fries, like this recipe.

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

Put the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a spice grinder, roughly grind, then set aside. Put the cooking oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a medium heat. Add the crushed spices and the asafoetida, and fry, mixing, for a brief moment. Add the chopped ginger, fry for a short while, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour a small amount water to the pot, season with salt to taste and bring to a boil. Place lid, reduce the flame, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway. Mix in the jaggery, breaking up chunks a little, then add the dried mango, mix thoroughly and present hot with chapatis or leavened bread.