Butternut squash breaks down rapidly in hot liquid. In a curry that simmers for even 15–20 minutes, raw squash added at the start will become mushy and lose both its texture and its characteristic sweetness. The judges criticised Ismail's squash as 'very soft' — a textural failure that contributed to his elimination from the Semi-Finals. The fix is to roast the squash separately before it ever touches the curry. Roasting at 200°C for 25–30 minutes caramelises the natural sugars, adding a deeper, slightly smoky sweetness, and creates a slightly firmed outer surface that holds its structure during a brief final immersion in hot liquid. The roasted squash is then added to the finished curry for only the last five minutes — just long enough to warm through and absorb the spiced sauce without softening further. This principle applies broadly: most firm vegetables fare better in liquid-based curries when roasted first and added last.