🔗 Share this article

It's squash season and most anticipated time of the year, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of fall. Today's Northwest Indian stir-fry is a regular in my kitchen, and the combination of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a lovely flavor harmony. The biryani, on the other hand, is loaded with whole spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which give enhanced flavour to the strata of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week begins around early October, so how perfect to celebrate than with a rich, warming, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the spiced vegetable mixture component in advance and assemble all components on the day you want to serve.

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, 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 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, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or use water
Salt, as needed
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

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, steeped in 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

First make the curry base. Heat the clarified butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, incorporate the cumin seeds, bay leaves and cloves, and fry for a few seconds. Stir in the onion slices and cook, stirring often, for 30-35 minutes, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a plate and reserve (for later use during the assembly).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, fry for a brief period, then stir in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and fry for a minute. Reduce to a gentle flame, stir in the yogurt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spices, then fry for three minutes. Add the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the heat, place lid and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure nothing's stuck to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with coriander, then take off the stove.

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

To build the layered dish, place a tablespoon of melted ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in half the vegetable curry, then layer with some the cooked grains. Add half the saffron water, ginger strips, mint leaves, cardamom powder and spice blend, then top with the caramelized onions. Top with the remaining curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover rice. Top with the remaining ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Seal with parchment, place lid securely, then cook on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Remove of the oven, allow to stand, keeping covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the cover and present with raita and salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Squash with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Hindi term "achari" describes flavouring a dish using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin seeds, hing and nigella, but their use extends beyond in pickles. This mixture also appears in all manner of curries 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, cubed
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, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a spice grinder, crush coarsely, then reserve. Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a medium heat. Add the ground spices and the hing, and sauté, stirring, for a brief moment. Mix in the ginger, fry for a short while, then add the squash, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for five minutes more.

Pour 50ml liquid to the pot, salt with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Place lid, turn down the flame, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Mix in the jaggery, breaking up chunks a little, then add the dried mango, mix thoroughly and serve warm with flatbreads or naan.