Tunisian octopus couscous

Method

1. 1

   Clean the octopus well and cut it into medium pieces, then brown it in olive oil with the chopped onion until it changes colour.

2. 2

   Add the harissa, tomato paste, garlic, spices (cumin and coriander) and bay leaves, and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Cover the octopus with water and simmer over low heat until tender (about 40–50 minutes depending on the size of the pieces), forming a rich red sauce.

4. 4

   Steam the couscous over the red sauce in the traditional way (using a couscoussier) three times, sprinkling it with water and rubbing it with oil between each steaming.

5. 5

   Spread the couscous in a wide dish, arrange the octopus on top and pour the rich red sauce over it just before serving. Octopus couscous is a time-honoured seafood dish of Tunisia’s coastal towns such as the Kerkennah Islands and Mahdia, where fresh octopus is plentiful and cooked in ways handed down through generations of fishermen.