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This marks squash season and my favourite time of the year, especially for all the curries and other comfort food of autumn. Today's Northwest Indian sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chilli and palm sugar gives it a wonderful balance of flavour. The biryani, on the other hand, is packed with aromatic spices, basmati and ghee, which provide so much more flavour to the strata of grains and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

National curry week begins around early October, so how perfect to celebrate than with a flavorful, warming, all-in-one-pot biryani? If you like, prepare the spiced vegetable mixture component ahead of time and assemble everything on the day you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cook 2 hr
Yields 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, 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, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander, for serving

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

Begin by preparing the curry base. Melt the ghee in a sizable, heavy-based saucepan on a moderate flame, add the cumin seeds, bay and cloves, and sauté for a few seconds. Stir in the sliced onion and cook, frequently turning, for 30-35 minutes, until softened. When the onions start to brown, remove half to a plate and reserve (you'll use them later during the layering).

Add the green chillies and ginger to the remaining onions, cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato puree, chilli powder, turmeric and coriander, and fry for a short while. Turn down to a gentle flame, blend in the yogurt and cook for two minutes.

Mix in the squash and mushrooms, stir to coat in the spice mixture, then fry for several minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature, place lid and cook gently for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure no sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, then take off the stove.

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Wash the basmati, then place it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom pods and salt. Heat to boiling, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then drain.

For assembling the layered dish, put a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in half the vegetable curry, then top that with some the cooked grains. Sprinkle a portion the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint leaves, ground cardamom and garam masala, then add the caramelized onions. Top with the rest of curry mixture, then spoon on the leftover grains. Top with the remaining ghee, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and spice mix.

Seal with baking paper, place lid securely, then cook on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so the aromas soak into the rice. Take out of the heat, leave to rest, keeping covered, for several minutes, then lift off the lid and serve with raita and salad.

Rajasthani Achari Kaddu (Squash with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Indian word "pickling style" describes seasoning a dish using pickling spices, and the combination includes mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin seeds, hing and nigella, but their use extends beyond in pickles. The blend also appears in various types of curries and stir-fries, like this recipe.

Preparation 10 min
Cook 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, 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 dark brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, roughly grind, then reserve. Heat the cooking oil in a spacious skillet or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Introduce the ground spices and the hing, and fry, mixing, for a few seconds. Add the chopped ginger, fry for a minute, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and fry, tossing, for five minutes more.

Pour a small amount liquid to the pot, season with seasoning to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add the palm sugar, breaking up chunks a bit, then add the mango powder, mix thoroughly and present hot with flatbreads or naan.