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This marks pumpkin season and my favourite season, especially for all the spiced dishes and other hearty meals of autumn. Today's Northwest Indian stir-fry is one I cook often, and the combination of fresh ginger, chili and palm sugar lends it a lovely balance of flavour. This layered rice dish, meanwhile, is loaded with whole spices, long-grain rice and ghee, which provide enhanced taste to the layers of grains and vegetables.

Mushroom and Squash Biryani

A celebration of curry dishes starts on early October, so how perfect to mark the occasion than with a flavorful, warming, all-in-one-pot layered rice dish? If you like, prepare the spiced vegetable mixture component ahead of time and layer all components on the day you want to serve.

Prep 20 min
Cooking 2 hr
Yields 4

For the vegetable curry base
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, 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, cubed
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
400ml vegetable stock, or water
Salt, as needed
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, julienned
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tsp ground cardamom powder
1 tsp garam masala
Raita and salad, to serve

Begin by preparing the curry base. Heat the ghee in a large, thick-bottomed pot on a medium heat, add the cumin, bay leaves and clove spices, and fry for a few seconds. Stir in the onion slices and cook, stirring often, for about half an hour, until softened. Once onions begin caramelizing, remove half to a plate and reserve (you'll use them later during the assembly).

Add the fresh chilies and ginger strips to the remaining onions, cook for a brief period, then stir in the tomato puree, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, and sauté 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 fry for three minutes. Pour in the stock or water, and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down the temperature, place lid and cook gently for about twenty minutes, mixing midway to ensure no sticking to the base of the pot. Garnish with fresh cilantro, then take off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the rice, then place it in a pot with a litre of water and the bay leaves, cardamom and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cook for around ten minutes, until three-quarters cooked, then drain.

For assembling the layered dish, put a tablespoon of warmed ghee in a oven-safe dish for which you have a secure cover. Spoon one portion the spiced vegetables, then layer with some the rice. Sprinkle half the saffron water, ginger strips, mint, ground cardamom and spice blend, then top with the caramelized onions. Layer with the remaining curry mixture, then arrange the leftover rice. Finish with the rest of ghee, saffron water, ginger, mint, ground cardamom and garam masala.

Cover with baking paper, place lid securely, then bake on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes, so all the flavours soak into the rice. Remove of the oven, leave to rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and serve with raita and salad.

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

The Hindi term "pickling style" describes flavouring a dish using preserving spices, and the mix contains mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida and kalonji, but they're not used only in preserved foods. The blend also features in various types of spiced dishes and sautéed preparations, like this recipe.

Preparation 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, peeled and finely chopped
750g squash flesh, or pumpkin, cubed
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp jaggery, or substitute with brown sugar
2 tsp dried mango powder

Put the mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel in a mortar, crush coarsely, then set aside. Put the oil in a large frying pan or Indian wok on a moderate flame. Add the crushed spices and the hing, and sauté, stirring, for a few seconds. Add the chopped ginger, cook for a short while, then add the pumpkin pieces, chilli and turmeric, and fry, stirring, for several additional minutes.

Pour a small amount water to the pan, season with seasoning 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 little, then add the mango powder, stir well and serve warm with chapatis or leavened bread.