Barbecued octopus with spicy dipping sauce

Chillies and lemons add vibrancy and flavour to these tasty barbecued octopus.

• 1kg cleaned baby octopus
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 x 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 1 fresh red birdseye chilli, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 coriander stems with roots, washed, dried, finely chopped
• 80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated palm sugar
• 2 small fresh red birdseye chillies, extra, finely chopped
• 1 lemon grass stem, finely chopped
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped

Energy 1119kJ	Fat saturated 2.00g
Fat Total 7.00g	Carbohydrate sugars 7.00g
Carbohydrate Total 8.00g	Dietary Fibre 2.00g
Protein 43.00g	Cholesterol 498.00mg
Sodium 835.59mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

1. Step 1

   Combine octopus, garlic, ginger, chilli, vegetable oil, sesame oil and coriander in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 3 hours.

2. Step 2

   Preheat barbecue grill on high. To make the dipping sauce, place lemon juice, fish sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add the extra chillies, lemon grass and lime leaves.

3. Step 3

   Reduce barbecue grill heat to medium. Cook a third of the octopus on preheated barbecue grill for 2 minutes. Turn and cook for 1 minute or until just cooked through. Repeat with remaining octopus in 2 batches. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Note: Cut tentacles from octopus body. Use your fingers to remove hard beak where tentacles meet. Make a slit down 1 side of head, turn inside out, remove internal organs and ink sac. Wash head well and pat dry with paper towel.