Biryani and Chunky Chilli Pumpkin: Flavorful Indian-Inspired Pumpkin Recipes

This marks squash season and most anticipated season, not least for all the curries and other hearty meals of autumn. This Rajasthani stir-fry is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a wonderful balance of flavour. This layered rice dish, meanwhile, is packed with whole spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which provide enhanced flavour to the strata of rice and produce.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week begins around October 6, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a rich, comforting, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, prepare the spiced vegetable mixture component ahead of time and assemble everything on the occasion you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Serves 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, cubed
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or 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

Biryani assembly
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 curry base. Melt the clarified butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, incorporate the cumin seeds, bay and cloves, and fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and sauté, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until softened. When the onions start to brown, remove half to a plate and reserve (you'll use them later during the layering).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger to the remaining onions, cook for a brief period, then mix in the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and sauté for a minute. Reduce to a low heat, stir in the yogurt and simmer for two minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then fry for several minutes. Add the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, place lid and simmer for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure no sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then take off the heat.

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

To build the layered dish, place a spoonful of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Spoon one portion the vegetable curry, then top that with half the cooked grains. Sprinkle half the saffron water, ginger, mint leaves, cardamom powder and spice blend, then top with the caramelized onions. Layer with the rest of curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover grains. Finish with the rest of clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, cover with the lid, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so all the flavours infuse the grains. Take out 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 (Squash with Spice Blend Stir-Fry)

The Hindi term "pickling style" refers to seasoning a preparation using preserving spices, and the mix contains mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin seeds, hing and nigella, but they're not used only in pickles. This mixture also features in various types of curries and stir-fries, such as this one.

Preparation 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, peeled and finely chopped
750g squash flesh, or 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

Place the mustard, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar, crush coarsely, then reserve. Put the oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a moderate flame. Add the ground spices and the asafoetida, and sauté, stirring, for a few seconds. Mix in the chopped ginger, cook for a short while, then add the pumpkin pieces, chilli and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour 50ml liquid to the pot, season with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Place lid, turn down the flame, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, mixing midway through. Add the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then incorporate the dried mango, stir well and present hot with flatbreads or leavened bread.