How to Make Fragrant Five-Spice Grilled Octopus, Irresistible for Weekend Snacking

How to Prepare Grilled Octopus with Five Spices

• 1

  Prepping the Octopus

  Use a knife to cut off the eyes, flip the head of the octopus over and remove all the insides. Place the octopus on a cutting board, cut off the tentacles from the body. Cut the head away from the body and slice it in half lengthwise.

  Cut the octopus into pieces about 2 finger lengths long. For larger tentacles, you can cut them in half lengthwise.

  Remove the fishy smell from the octopus using a mixture of water, vinegar, and alcohol.

  Effective Ways to Remove the Fishy Smell from Octopus:

  • You can replace the alcohol in the mixture above with crushed ginger.
  • Do not clean the octopus with salt as it is a seafood item that already has a natural salty flavor.
  • You can use flour or rice water to soak the octopus to make it completely clean and no longer slimy.

  
• 2

  Marinating the Octopus

  Place the octopus in a bowl, then add 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon of five-spice powder, 1/2 tablespoon of lemongrass powder, 1 crushed fresh lemongrass stalk chopped finely (or you can replace it with 1/2 tablespoon of dried lemongrass), 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper powder.

  Wear plastic gloves to mix and squeeze thoroughly so that the octopus absorbs the seasoning evenly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and marinate for 2 hours.

  
• 3

  Grilled Octopus

  Preheat the grill to 250 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Then arrange the marinated octopus on the grill tray.

  Close the grill lid and lower the temperature to 230 degrees Celsius, grilling for about 15 minutes, then brush the marinade on to keep the meat from drying out. Grill for another 10 minutes to finish.

  

  
• 4

  Make Dipping Sauce

  Place a pan on the stove, wait until the pan is hot, then add white sesame seeds. Stir constantly over low heat until the sesame turns golden and releases a fragrant aroma.

  Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, 1/3 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the sesame pan, and stir well over medium heat.

  When the sauce boils, turn off the heat and pour it into a dish for dipping.

  

  

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Grilled octopus with five spices, fragrant and delicious, with meat that is both chewy and crispy, served with a spicy, salty dipping sauce – what could be better? Refresh your family’s dinner menu with this enticing yet very simple dish!