Biryani and Thick-Cut Chilli Pumpkin: Delicious Indian-Style Pumpkin Dishes

It's squash season and my favourite season, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of fall. This Northwest Indian stir-fry is one I cook often, 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 aromatic spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which give so much more taste to the layers of rice and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on October 6, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a flavorful, comforting, single-pot biryani? If you like, prepare the vegetable curry component ahead of time and assemble all components on the occasion you plan to eat.

Prep 20 min
Cooking 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, slit open lengthways
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
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, trimmed and sliced
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

Biryani assembly
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

First make the gravy. Melt the ghee in a sizable, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, add the cumin seeds, bay and clove spices, and fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a separate dish and reserve (for later use during the assembly).

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

Mix in the squash and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spices, then fry for three minutes. Pour in the liquid, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to make sure no sticking to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with coriander, then take off the stove.

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the basmati, then put it in a saucepan with a litre of water and the bay leaves, cardamom and seasoning. Heat to boiling, simmer for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then strain.

To build the layered dish, place a tablespoon of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the spiced vegetables, then layer with half the rice. Add half the saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and spice blend, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover rice. Top with the rest of ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Seal 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 heat, leave to rest, keeping covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the cover and present with raita and fresh salad.

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

The Hindi term "achari" describes seasoning a dish using pickling spices, and the mix includes mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, hing and nigella, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. The blend also features in all manner of curries and stir-fries, such as this one.

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 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

Put the mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds in a spice grinder, crush coarsely, then set aside. Put the oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a medium heat. Introduce the crushed spices and the asafoetida, and fry, stirring, for a brief moment. Mix in the chopped ginger, cook for a minute, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for five minutes more.

Pour a small amount liquid to the pan, season with seasoning to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, reduce the flame, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a little, then incorporate the dried mango, mix thoroughly and serve warm with chapatis or naan.