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It's pumpkin season and most anticipated season, not least for all the spiced dishes and other hearty meals of fall. Today's Northwest Indian stir-fry is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery lends it a wonderful flavor harmony. This layered rice dish, on the other hand, is packed with whole spices, basmati and ghee, which provide so much more taste to the strata of rice and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week starts on early October, so what better way to mark the occasion than with a flavorful, warming, all-in-one-pot biryani? If you like, make the vegetable curry component in advance and assemble all components on the day you want to serve.

Preparation 20 min
Cooking 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, cubed
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, as needed
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

For the rice
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

Begin by preparing the curry base. Melt the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, add the cumin, bay and cloves, and fry for a brief moment. Stir in the sliced onion and sauté, frequently turning, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a plate and reserve (for later use during the layering).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger to the remaining onions, cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder, and sauté for a minute. Reduce to a low heat, stir in the yoghurt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the squash and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then cook for several minutes. Pour in the liquid, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook gently 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.

Heat the oven to moderately hot temperature. Rinse the rice, then put it in a saucepan with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom and salt. Heat to boiling, simmer for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then strain.

For assembling the biryani, put a spoonful of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the vegetable curry, then layer with some the rice. Sprinkle half the saffron water, ginger strips, mint leaves, ground cardamom and spice blend, then add the reserved fried onions. Layer with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the remaining grains. Finish with the rest of ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and spice mix.

Cover with parchment, place lid securely, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas infuse the rice. Take out of the heat, allow to stand, keeping covered, for several minutes, then remove the lid and serve with raita and salad.

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

The Indian word "pickling style" refers to flavouring a preparation using preserving spices, and the combination includes mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin seeds, hing and nigella, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. This mixture also features in various types of curries and sautéed preparations, such as this one.

Prep 10 min
Cooking 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, 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

Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then set aside. Put the cooking oil in a spacious skillet or kadhai on a medium heat. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and sauté, mixing, for a brief moment. Mix in the ginger, cook for a short while, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chilli and turmeric, and sauté, tossing, for several additional minutes.

Add a small amount water to the pot, salt with seasoning to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, turn down the flame, and leave to cook for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Add the palm sugar, crushing some of the pieces a bit, then incorporate the dried mango, mix thoroughly and present hot with flatbreads or leavened bread.