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This marks pumpkin season and my favourite season, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Northwest Indian stir-fry is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a wonderful flavor harmony. The biryani, on the other hand, is packed with whole spices, basmati and clarified butter, which provide enhanced flavour to the strata of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on October 6, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a flavorful, warming, all-in-one-pot biryani? For convenience, prepare the vegetable curry component in advance and assemble everything on the day you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 4

For the squash and mushroom gravy
4 tbsp ghee, or 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, 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, as accompaniments

First make the gravy. Melt the clarified butter in a sizable, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, add the cumin, bay and cloves, and fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and sauté, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a plate and set aside (for later use during the assembly).

Add the green chillies and ginger strips to the onions in pan, fry for a minute, then stir in the tomato puree, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and sauté for a minute. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yogurt and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the squash and mushroom halves, stir to coat in the spice mixture, then fry for several minutes. Pour in the liquid, and season to taste. Heat until boiling, then lower the temperature, place lid and simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway to make sure no sticking to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to moderately hot temperature. 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, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

To build the layered dish, place a tablespoon of melted ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a secure cover. Ladle in half the vegetable curry, then layer with some the cooked grains. Add half the saffron infusion, ginger, mint leaves, ground cardamom and garam masala, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover rice. Top with the rest of ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and spice mix.

Cover with baking paper, place lid securely, then cook on the center rack of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so all the flavours infuse the rice. Remove of the oven, leave to rest, still covered, for several minutes, then lift off the lid and serve with raita and salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Pickling Spices Sauté)

The Indian word "pickling style" refers to flavouring a dish using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and kalonji, but they're not used only in pickles. The blend also features in all manner of curries and sautéed preparations, like this recipe.

Preparation 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, 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, 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 mortar, roughly grind, then reserve. Put the oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a medium heat. Add the ground spices and the hing, and fry, stirring, for a brief moment. Add the ginger, cook for a minute, then add the squash, chilli and turmeric, and fry, tossing, for several additional minutes.

Add a small amount liquid to the pan, season with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, reduce the heat, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a little, then incorporate the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with flatbreads or leavened bread.