Peel the onion, garlic and ginger, and roughly chop.
Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and sweet.
Meanwhile, peel the parsnips and chop into 3cm chunks. Stir them into the onion mixture until well coated.
Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.
After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and blitz with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning as required.
Deseed and finely chop the chilli, and scatter over the soup, if you like. Delicious served with crusty bread and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Tips
For a twist, try using coconut milk instead of regular milk.