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It's pumpkin season and my favourite time of the year, not least for all the curries and other comfort food of fall. Today's Northwest Indian stir-fry is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chilli and jaggery gives it a lovely flavor harmony. The biryani, on the other hand, is loaded with whole spices, long-grain rice and clarified butter, which provide enhanced flavour to the strata of rice and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on October 6, so what better way to celebrate than with a rich, warming, single-pot biryani? If you like, prepare the vegetable curry component in advance and layer everything 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, cleaned and halved
400ml vegetable stock, or use 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

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 ghee in a sizable, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin, bay and cloves, and sauté for a few seconds. Stir in the sliced onion and sauté, stirring often, for 30-35 minutes, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a separate dish and set aside (for later use during the assembly).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger to the onions in pan, cook for a minute, then mix in the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder, and sauté for a short while. Turn down to a low heat, blend in the yoghurt and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then cook for three minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and season to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the temperature, cover and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure nothing's stuck to the base of the pan. Sprinkle with coriander, then take off the stove.

Preheat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the basmati, then place it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom and salt. Heat to boiling, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

For assembling the biryani, put a tablespoon of melted ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a secure cover. Ladle in half the vegetable curry, then top that with half the rice. Add half the saffron infusion, ginger, mint leaves, cardamom powder and spice blend, then add the caramelized onions. Layer with the remaining curry mixture, then spoon on the remaining rice. Top with the remaining ghee, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and spice mix.

Cover with parchment, place lid securely, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Remove of the oven, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the lid and serve with raita and fresh salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Pickling Spices Sauté)

The Hindi term "achari" refers to flavouring a dish using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida and kalonji, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. The blend also features in various types of spiced dishes and sautéed preparations, such as this one.

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, 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 seeds and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then reserve. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a moderate flame. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and sauté, mixing, for a few seconds. Add the chopped ginger, fry for a minute, then add the squash, chilli and turmeric, and sauté, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Add a small amount liquid to the pan, salt with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a little, then add the mango powder, stir well and present hot with flatbreads or leavened bread.