Partly submerge in a big pot of water (or use vegetable broth), about half-way. Add salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until tender, about 20 min. With an immersion blender, puree the squash until smooth, but leave a few small chunks

In another soup pot, roast chopped garlic and ginger until golden and fragrant, careful not to burn. Add the pureed kabocha.

Add raisins. Simmer on low heat for a while longer, until raisins are plump and flavors have merged, about 10 min. If desired, add a little bit of fresh cream, a touch of curry powder, and some sherry. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts over low heat until golden but not burnt.

Serve the soup with pine nuts on the side. Yumm!

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History of this recipe:

I invented it on a vacation in Hawaii, where I had a tiny kitchen as part of the space we had rented. On the Farmer's market that day, I had bought Kabocha for the first time, along with fresh garlic and ginger. Oil, salt and pepper were staples. Add the end, I was looking for some crunchy topping. From the trip, I still had some trail mix, containing raisins and nuts. That was the hit! 

Some of the best things in life are born of necessity and invention.