Dazz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

It's typical the weather turns nasty just as the long weekends arrive, giving us more time to relax.

Often, we end up spending lots of money stocking the pantry for the days when we can't go shopping. Value for money becomes important, and you're well aware the family is sick of ‘101 ways to cook mince', so opt for a warming seafood curry instead. The price of some fish fillets is downright scary, so spy some fresh arrow squid; you can get just more than one kilogram for less than $7.

Don't be put off by the tentacles or those big black eyes, fresh squid is not that hard to prepare and it's fantastic when fresh. Interestingly, according to statistics more than 70 per cent of the arrow squid caught in New Zealand waters is frozen and exported to Greece. I must have eaten it many times, as most taverns had deep-fried calamari as an appetiser.

Having shared my fried salt and pepper squid recipe before, this time it's a simple curried coconut and onion gravy.

This curry not only tastes delicious but with the addition of some rice, a kilogram of squid will feed four people.

Curried Calamari

Ingredients

1kg fresh squid
4 brown onions, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup soya sauce
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup good quality coconut oil
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 3cm chunk root ginger,
peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp garam marsala
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder or to taste
½ cup freshly chopped coriander
3 Tbsp tomato paste
300ml coconut cream

Method

Prepare the squid by cleaning out the insides and removing the plastic spiny bit, scraping the suckers off the tentacles, then remove the head.

Split open and remove the skin by rubbing with a disposable cloth. If it doesn't come off easily, it's not fresh. Score the inside of the squid with the tip of a sharp knife. Cut grooves in the tentacles. Cut up into 5cm-7cm chunks. Make a simple marinade by mixing together the minced garlic, soya sauce, lime juice and half of the coconut oil. Put with prepared squid in a glass bowl and marinate at room temperature, while preparing the curry gravy. In a wok or heavy based pan, prepare the base by frying off the onions with the rest of the coconut oil until translucent, usually it takes about 10 minutes.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound fennel seeds, coriander, turmeric powder, garam marsala, chilli powder and black pepper. Add some of the cooked onion and work into a paste.

Add this to the pan with the rest of the onion mix. Add the tomato paste and stir well. Add coconut cream and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 -20 minutes. Resist the urge to add water, as it's supposed to be a thick, rich, dark curry. In a separate hot pan, cook off the squid for about two minutes, adding the marinade back into the pan once cooked. Add this to the curry and serve with rice.