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This marks squash 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 a regular in my kitchen, and the combination of ginger, chili and palm sugar gives it a lovely flavor harmony. The biryani, meanwhile, is loaded with whole spices, basmati and ghee, which provide so much more flavour to the strata of rice and vegetables.

Squash and Mushroom Biryani

National curry week begins around early October, so what better way to celebrate than with a flavorful, comforting, single-pot layered rice dish? If you like, prepare the vegetable curry element in advance and assemble all components on the occasion you want to serve.

Prep 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, peeled and thinly sliced
3 green bird's eye chillies, lengthwise slit
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
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, cut into bite-sized pieces
300g button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

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, 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 gravy. Melt the clarified butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves and cloves, and fry for a brief moment. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring often, for 30-35 minutes, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a plate and set aside (you'll use them later during the assembly).

Introduce the green chillies and ginger to the remaining onions, fry for a brief period, then stir in the tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric and coriander, and sauté for a short while. Reduce to a low heat, stir in the yoghurt and simmer for two minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushroom halves, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then fry for three minutes. Pour in the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then lower the temperature, place lid and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with coriander, then take off the heat.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the basmati, then put it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay leaves, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10-12 minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then strain.

To build the biryani, put a spoonful of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Spoon half the spiced vegetables, then top that with some the rice. Sprinkle half the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala, then top with the caramelized onions. Top with the remaining curry mixture, then spoon on the remaining grains. Finish with the rest of ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with parchment, place lid securely, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas infuse the grains. Remove of the oven, leave to rest, keeping covered, for several minutes, then remove the lid and serve with raita and salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Squash with Spice Blend Sauté)

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

Preparation 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, minced
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 dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Place the mustard, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, crush coarsely, then reserve. Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Introduce the crushed spices and the asafoetida, and sauté, mixing, for a brief moment. Mix in the chopped ginger, fry for a short while, then add the squash, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, tossing, for several additional minutes.

Add 50ml water to the pot, salt with salt to taste and bring to a boil. Place lid, 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 add the mango powder, mix thoroughly and present hot with chapatis or leavened bread.