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It's squash season and most anticipated season, not least for all the spiced dishes and other comfort food of autumn. This Northwest Indian stir-fry is a regular in my kitchen, and the blend of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a lovely balance of flavour. The biryani, on the other hand, is packed with aromatic spices, basmati and ghee, which give enhanced flavour to the layers of grains and vegetables.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on October 6, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a rich, warming, single-pot layered rice dish? For convenience, prepare the vegetable curry element in advance and layer all components on the occasion you plan to eat.

Preparation 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 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, 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, cut into bite-sized pieces
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, as needed
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, 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 curry base. Heat the clarified butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin seeds, bay and cloves, and sauté for a brief moment. Add the onion slices and cook, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a separate dish and reserve (for later use during the assembly).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, fry for a brief period, then mix in the tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and fry for a minute. Reduce to a gentle flame, stir in the yoghurt and simmer for two minutes.

Mix in the squash and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spices, then cook for three minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the temperature, cover and cook gently for about twenty minutes, mixing midway to make sure no sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with coriander, then take off the heat.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Wash the basmati, 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 strain.

To build the biryani, place a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in half the spiced vegetables, then layer with some the rice. Add half the saffron water, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala, then add the reserved fried onions. Top with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover rice. Finish with the remaining clarified butter, saffron water, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, place lid securely, then cook on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so all the flavours infuse the rice. Take out of the heat, allow to stand, keeping covered, for 10 minutes, then lift off the lid and serve with yogurt sauce and salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Pumpkin with Spice Blend Stir-Fry)

The Hindi term "pickling style" refers to seasoning a dish using pickling spices, and the mix includes mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek seeds, cumin, asafoetida and kalonji, but they're not used only in preserved foods. This mixture also features in various types of curries and stir-fries, such as this one.

Preparation 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 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

Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a spice grinder, roughly grind, then set aside. Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan or kadhai on a medium heat. Add the crushed spices and the asafoetida, and fry, stirring, for a brief moment. Mix in the ginger, cook for a minute, then add the squash, chilli and turmeric, and fry, tossing, for five minutes more.

Add a small amount water to the pot, season with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Place lid, turn down the flame, and simmer for 20 minutes, mixing midway through. Mix in the palm sugar, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then add the dried mango, stir well and present hot with flatbreads or leavened bread.