Preheat the oven to 200C fan/220C/425F. Toss the squash in a bit of olive oil and salt, then place on a baking tray and roast for around 30 minutes, or until the squash is starting to look caramelised and a bit brown on the edges.

In a medium saucepan on low heat, add just enough olive oil to shallowly cover the bottom of the pot. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic, ginger, chili(s) and turmeric, half of the scallions or chives, plus a pinch of salt.

Optional: Once everything is all nice and fragrant, add in the carrot, celery and shallot. Bring heat up to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, and leave to soften and mingle with the other flavours for a few minutes (without browning).

Add the roasted squash into the pot, stir through and cook for around 5 minutes more, adding a bit more oil to the pot if things start to catch.

Pour in 500mL of hot water (or hot vegetable stock, if you skipped step 3), season with a bit more salt, stir, and leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes before blending smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning and soup thickness, adding more liquid if necessary, according to your taste.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, the rest of the scallions or chives, a few pumpkin seeds and a tiny dash of powdered smoked paprika (or smoked chipotle). Perfect for making large batches and freezing in small containers for another day. Makes a great gift too!