Octopus Curry — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender octopus simmered in a turmeric-golden coconut curry with tomatoes and garlic. This dish showcases the Comoros' abundant octopus harvest and the islanders' mastery of seafood cookery.

Ingredients

800g octopus, cleaned and cut into pieces
300ml coconut milk
3 tomatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1 Wash octopus pieces thoroughly. Boil in salted water for 30 minutes until partially tender. Drain.
2 Heat oil in a heavy pot. Saute onion for 4 minutes, add garlic and ginger.
3 Add turmeric and cumin, stir for 30 seconds.
4 Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until saucy.
5 Add octopus pieces and pour in coconut milk.
6 Simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes until octopus is very tender.
7 Squeeze lime juice over the curry, season with salt and pepper.
8 Serve with steamed rice.

Did You Know?

Comorian women have traditionally been the octopus fishers, wading at low tide to pull octopus from reef crevices by hand. This practice continues today, and the freshest octopus often goes straight from the reef to the pot.