Chef Floyd Cardoz had a signature way of cooking octopus: in a steamer, at lower temperature, for a longer time. He was proud of this method and I learned it from him. At The Bombay Bread Bar, his restaurant in New York, he would first steam the octopus soft and tender, and then marinate it with recheado (a typical Goan masala with tamarind that goes well with seafood dishes). Finally, the octopus was grilled in a tandoor. Twice cooked, the octopus would emerge as octopus tikka. I have tweaked the recipe, so that home cooks can make it in an oven.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    1h

    Plus 2 hours to marinate

Ingredients

For Recheado Masala

  • 20 Kashmiri red chillies
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 small onions, peeled and sliced
  • 8 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 5 tbsp Goan vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1-inch cinnamon stick
  • Salt to taste

For Octopus

  • 500 gm baby octopus, 3-4 pcs approx.
  • 6 tbsp recheado masala
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped 

Preparation

For Recheado Masala

  • Boil the chillies in vinegar and strain, saving the liquid.
  • In a pan, pour in oil and add the whole spices. Let them bloom.
  • Toss in onions and saute until caramelised.
  • Sprinkle turmeric powder and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
  • In a blender, whizz boiled chillies with the reserved liquid and the masala cooked above.
  • Into this mix add sugar, tamarind and salt.
  • Blend to a smooth paste.
  • This keeps well in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.

For Octopus

  • Request your fishmonger to clean the octopus for you. It’s really simple to cook it whole or cut up – I prefer cooking whole.
  • In a bowl, marinate the octopus with the recheado masala and other ingredients. Transfer into a deep-dish oven-safe bowl or pan, and let sit for 2 hours.
  • Preheat your oven to 150°C for 20 minutes.
  • Cover the ovenproof dish with aluminium foil and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or till the octopus is tender.
  • With a fork, poke the octopus. If it is tender, it is good to go. You can eat it as is or, alternatively, pull the pieces out of the braising liquid and reduce the liquid to a glaze. Marinate the octopus in it and either pan fry or grill for 1-2 minutes each side, so it gets a great sear and enjoy.
Hussain Shahzad

Hussain Shahzad

Hussain Shahzad, the Executive Chef at O Pedro, a Goa-inspired restaurant in Mumbai, is Scroll Food’s Chef of the Month for October. He started his career with the Oberoi Group of Hotels in Mumbai, before moving to New York, where he worked at the iconic Eleven Madison Park. His culinary adventures have taken him around the world and included a brief stint as a personal chef to Roger Federer. Before taking the reins at O Pedro, he was a part of the team at the award-winning The Bombay Canteen. A dynamic and bold chef, Hussain’s food philosophy is to showcase local produce using contemporary culinary techniques.

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