Octopus Curry

I always thought that curry can be done with chicken and a couple of vegetables only but I stumbled upon this very unique recipe and I thought it's great! Check this out and try it!
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Octopus Curry

These are the ingredients you need for a traditional Seychellois octopus curry. Quantities are enough for four persons:

- 1 kg octopus (raw or pre-cooked)
- 5 dl coconut milk
- 1 eggplant
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 garlic
- oil for cooking (for example sunflower)
- 3-4 spoons masala
- 1 spoon turmeric powder
- 10-15 cinnamon leaves (or a knife's edge of cinnamon)
- salt
- fresh chilli (optional)
- 1 large breadfruit, potatoes or rice as side dish

Preparations before cooking
If you buy fresh octopus, it needs some careful beating (like a good beef) to make sure the meat gets nice and tender. Cut the octopus in small slices and boil it for at least one hour (better 90 minutes). You can also buy the octopus pre-prepared in some shops, but it will not be as good.

Cut the pealed breadfruit into large pieces (approx 5x5 cm) and cook like potatoes. Otherwise, prepare boiled potatoes or rice as side dish.

Prepare by cutting eggplant into cubes, finely cutting onion and garlic and coarsely cutting the amount of fresh chilli you want.

Cooking the octopus curry
Start with around 3-4 spoons of neutral cooking oil in a hot pan or wok. Add the chopped onion, garlic and eggplant and fry for around five minutes under constant stirring.

In the still hot pan, now add the pre-prepared octopus, making sure the heat is being kept high. Stir and, after a time, add the spice powders (masala and turmeric) and the cinnamon (leaves).

Within some time, the powders will make the food stick and burn to the pan. Let this process begin, but control it by slowly adding coconut milk, thus dissolving the spicy mass. After a while, add the rest of the milk. Add the amount of salt and chilli of your choice. Hot and

The papaya chutney is shortly fried in a wok-like pan spicy would be the real Seychellois way.

Give the pan another 10-15 minutes' cooking on moderate heat. Make sure to stir from time to time!

Serve hot with breadfruit, potatoes or rice. Possible leftovers should be kept cold, to be heated with some additional coconut milk the next day (tasting equally good).

(source: http://www.afrol.com/features/37683)

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