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This marks squash season and my favourite time of the year, especially for all the curries and other hearty meals of fall. Today's Rajasthani stir-fry is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chilli and jaggery lends it a wonderful balance of flavour. This layered rice dish, on the other hand, is loaded with aromatic spices, basmati and ghee, which give so much more taste to the strata of rice and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on October 6, so how perfect to celebrate than with a flavorful, warming, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, prepare the vegetable curry component in advance and layer all components on the day you plan to eat.

Preparation 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 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, peeled and 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, cleaned and halved
400ml vegetable stock, or use water
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

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, to serve

Begin by preparing the gravy. Heat the ghee in a large, thick-bottomed pot on a moderate flame, incorporate the cumin, bay and clove spices, and sauté for a few seconds. Stir in the onion slices and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until tender. When the onions start to brown, transfer half of them to a plate and reserve (for later use during the layering).

Introduce the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, cook for a brief period, then stir in the tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and sauté for a short while. Reduce to a gentle flame, stir in the yogurt and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the pumpkin pieces and mushrooms, stir to coat in the spices, then cook for three minutes. Add the stock or water, and season to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the temperature, place lid and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to make sure nothing's stuck to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with coriander, then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the basmati, then place it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

To build the biryani, place a spoonful 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. Add half the saffron water, ginger strips, mint leaves, ground cardamom and garam masala, then top with the caramelized onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then arrange the leftover grains. Top with the rest of clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Seal with parchment, cover with the lid, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Remove of the oven, leave to rest, keeping covered, for several minutes, then remove the cover and present with raita and fresh salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Squash with Pickling Spices Sauté)

The Indian word "achari" refers to flavouring a preparation using preserving spices, and the mix includes mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and nigella, but their use extends beyond in pickles. The blend also features in various types of spiced dishes and stir-fries, such as this one.

Preparation 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, 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

Place the mustard, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Put the cooking oil in a spacious skillet or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Add the ground spices and the hing, and sauté, mixing, for a brief moment. Add the chopped ginger, cook for a short while, then add the squash, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Add 50ml water to the pan, salt with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Place lid, turn down the flame, and simmer for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Mix in the jaggery, breaking up chunks a little, then incorporate the mango powder, mix thoroughly and present hot with flatbreads or naan.