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Kari koko zourit
Octopus coconut curry
Seychelles octopus curry in coconut milk
Kari koko zourit, octopus in coconut curry, is the dish most Seychellois would name as their national favourite, cooked on Mahé and Praslin when the fishermen bring octopus in from the reef. The octopus is simmered until tender, then cooked in a sauce of coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and a little aubergine. It is served with rice and a green papaya chutney. The mistake is cooking the octopus too briefly or at a fast boil, which makes it rubbery; it needs a long, gentle simmer. Chef's tip: frozen and thawed octopus is often more tender than fresh, because freezing breaks down the fibres.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb octopuscleaned, frozen and thawed
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingergrated
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 small auberginediced
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk1 tin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 limejuiced
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb octopus and 2 bay leaves in a large pot of unsalted water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 50–60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle. Drain and cut into 3 cm pieces.
60 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan, cook 1 onion for 5 minutes, then add 4 garlic cloves, ½ oz fresh ginger, 2 tbsp mild curry powder and 1 cinnamon stick and stir for 1 minute.
6 minStep 3: Add 1 small aubergine and 1 tomato and cook for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Pour in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, add 1 tsp salt, 2 thyme sprigs and the octopus, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick, the aubergine soft and the octopus piping hot (at least 145°F).
20 minStep 5: Stir in 1 lime, remove the thyme and cinnamon and serve with rice. Keeps 1 day in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kari koko zourit take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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