Cari Ourite (Octopus Curry)

Ingredients:

1kg fresh octopus (1 large octopus, typically)
440g tin of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp curry powder
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp crushed ginger
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp curry leaves, coarsely chopped
1 small bunch of coriander (cilantro)
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3 tbsp vegetable oil
fresh green or red chillies, sliced into rings, to taste
salt, to taste
plain flour

Method:

Clean the octopus, carefully removing the ink sac and setting aside. Rub the octopus with flour to thoroughly clean it then wash with copious running water.

Place a heavy-based pan over high heat. Add the octopus and allow it to cook in its own juices. Season with the ground black pepper and cloves and stir-fry for about 15 minutes until pink in colour (you must stir frequently to prevent the octopus from burning). Drain any liquid from the pan and set aside for later.

Remove the octopus from the pan and set aside. Once cooled, cut into bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from the coriander, chop finely and set aside. Coarsely chop the coriander leaves and set these aside, too.

Add the vegetable oil to the pan used to cook the octopus. Set over hight heat then add the onion, garlic, ginger and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion pieces are translucent (about 4 minutes). Add the tinned tomatoes then reduce the heat to medium-high. Allow the sauce to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down to a sauce (ensure that you stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from catching and burning).

Stir in the chopped curry leaves, chopped coriander stalks, half the coriander leaves and the curry powder. Bring back to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to come away from the sides of the pan when stirred.

Now add the octopus pieces along with the octopus ink and stir well to combine before stirring in the reserved octopus juice. Mix in 100ml hot water then bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the octopus pieces are hot through and well blended with the sauce (if the sauce thickens too much during this time, add hot water).

Turn the curry into a warmed serving dish and garnish with the remaining curry leaves.

Seat hot, accompanied by steamed rice and a tomato-based chutney.