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This marks pumpkin season and my favourite time of the year, not least for all the spiced dishes and other hearty meals of fall. This Rajasthani sautéed dish is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chili and jaggery gives it a wonderful balance of flavour. The biryani, meanwhile, is packed with whole spices, basmati and clarified butter, which provide enhanced flavour to the layers of grains and produce.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

National curry week starts on October 6, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a rich, warming, all-in-one-pot biryani? For convenience, prepare the spiced vegetable mixture element ahead of time and assemble everything 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, 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 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 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

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

Begin by preparing the curry base. Melt the ghee in a sizable, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, incorporate the cumin seeds, bay and cloves, and fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and cook, frequently turning, for 30-35 minutes, until tender. Once onions begin caramelizing, transfer half of them to a plate and reserve (you'll use them later during the assembly).

Introduce the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the onions in pan, cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander, and sauté for a minute. Reduce to a gentle flame, stir in the yoghurt and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the pumpkin pieces and mushrooms, toss to cover in the spice mixture, then cook for several minutes. Add the liquid, and add salt to taste. Heat until boiling, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, mixing midway to make sure nothing's stuck to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with coriander, then remove from the stove.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Wash the rice, then put it in a pot with a quart of water and the bay, cardamom and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cook for around ten minutes, until partially cooked, then strain.

For assembling the layered dish, place a spoonful of warmed ghee in a casserole pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Ladle in one portion the spiced vegetables, then top that with half the cooked grains. Add half the saffron infusion, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and spice blend, then top with the reserved fried onions. Layer with the rest of vegetable curry, then arrange the leftover grains. Finish with the remaining ghee, saffron liquid, ginger, mint, cardamom powder and garam masala.

Cover with baking paper, cover with the lid, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about fifteen minutes, so the aromas soak into the rice. Take out of the oven, allow to stand, still covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and present with raita and salad.

Traditional Indian Achari Kaddu (Squash with Pickling Spices Stir-Fry)

The Indian word "pickling style" refers to flavouring a preparation using preserving spices, and the combination contains mustard, fennel seeds, fenugreek, cumin, hing and kalonji, but their use extends beyond in preserved foods. The blend also features in all manner of spiced dishes and sautéed preparations, like this recipe.

Prep 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

Place the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds 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. Add the ginger, cook for a minute, then stir in the pumpkin pieces, chili powder and turmeric, and sauté, stirring, for five minutes more.

Add 50ml liquid to the pan, salt with salt to taste and heat until bubbling. Cover, turn down the flame, and simmer for about twenty minutes, mixing midway through. Add the jaggery, crushing some of the pieces a little, then incorporate the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with chapatis or leavened bread.