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This marks pumpkin season and my favourite time of the year, especially for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. This Northwest Indian stir-fry is one I cook often, and the blend of ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a wonderful balance of flavour. The biryani, on the other hand, is packed with whole spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which provide enhanced taste to the strata of grains and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on early October, so how perfect to celebrate than with a rich, comforting, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, make the vegetable curry element ahead of time and layer everything on the occasion you plan to eat.

Preparation 20 min
Cooking 2 hr
Serves 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, slit open lengthways
5cm piece fresh ginger, julienned
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, cubed
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, as needed
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, 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, as accompaniments

First make the gravy. Melt the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin, bay and clove spices, and sauté for a brief moment. Stir in the onion slices and sauté, stirring often, for about half an hour, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a separate dish and set aside (you'll use them later during the assembly).

Introduce 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 low heat, blend in the yogurt and cook for two minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushrooms, stir to coat in the spice mixture, then fry for three minutes. Pour in the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the heat, place lid and cook gently for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure no sticking to the base of the pot. Sprinkle with coriander, then remove from the stove.

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the rice, then place it in a saucepan with a litre of water and the bay leaves, cardamom pods and seasoning. Bring to a boil, simmer for around ten minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then drain.

To build the biryani, put a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Spoon half the vegetable curry, then top that with some the cooked grains. Add a portion the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and spice blend, then top with the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover grains. Top with the rest of clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with baking paper, cover with the lid, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Remove of the heat, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the cover and present with raita and fresh salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Indian word "achari" refers to flavouring a dish using preserving spices, and the mix contains mustard, fennel, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, hing and kalonji, but they're not used only in pickles. The blend also features in all manner of curries and stir-fries, such as this one.

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, minced
750g squash flesh, or pumpkin, cubed
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp jaggery, or substitute with brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard, fenugreek seeds and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Heat the cooking oil in a spacious skillet or kadhai on a moderate flame. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and fry, stirring, for a brief moment. Add the ginger, fry for a minute, then add the squash, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour 50ml liquid to the pan, season with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Mix in the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then add the mango powder, stir well and present hot with chapatis or leavened bread.