This marks pumpkin season and my favourite season, 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 ginger, chilli and palm sugar gives it a lovely flavor harmony. The biryani, meanwhile, is packed with aromatic spices, basmati and clarified butter, which give enhanced taste to the strata of grains and produce.
Mushroom and Squash Biryani
A celebration of curry dishes starts on early October, so what better way to celebrate than with a flavorful, comforting, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the vegetable curry element ahead of time and layer all components on the day you plan to eat.
Preparation 20 min
Cooking 2 hr
Serves 4
For the vegetable curry base
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, 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, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, for serving
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 gravy. Heat the ghee in a large, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, add the cumin, bay leaves and clove spices, and fry for a brief moment. Add the onion slices and cook, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until tender. When the onions start to brown, transfer half of them to a separate dish and reserve (for later use during the assembly).
Introduce the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the onions in pan, fry for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and sauté for a short while. Turn down to a low heat, stir in the yogurt and cook for two minutes.
Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, stir to coat in the spice mixture, then fry for several minutes. Pour in the liquid, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pan. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then remove from the heat.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the basmati, then put it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom pods and seasoning. Heat to boiling, simmer for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then strain.
To build the biryani, place a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a secure cover. Spoon half the vegetable curry, then top that with some the rice. Add a portion the saffron infusion, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala, then top with the caramelized onions. Layer with the remaining vegetable curry, then arrange the remaining rice. Top with the remaining ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.
Seal with baking paper, cover with the lid, then bake on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas infuse the rice. Take out of the oven, leave to rest, still covered, for several minutes, then lift off the lid and present with raita and salad.
Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Spice Blend Sauté)
The Indian word "achari" describes flavouring a preparation using pickling spices, and the combination contains mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, hing and kalonji, but they're not used only in pickles. This mixture also appears in all manner of spiced dishes and sautéed preparations, like this recipe.
Prep 10 min
Cook 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, peeled and finely chopped
750g squash flesh, or use pumpkin, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp jaggery, or dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder
Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a spice grinder, roughly grind, then reserve. Put the oil in a spacious skillet or kadhai on a medium heat. Introduce the ground spices and the asafoetida, 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, tossing, for five minutes more.
Pour 50ml water to the pot, salt with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, reduce the flame, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, mixing midway through. Add the palm sugar, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then incorporate the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with flatbreads or naan.
