Tako

The octopus’ contrasting colours of milky white flesh and dark red skin (once heated, octopus skin turns red), together with the unusual round shape of its sliced tentacles, adds interesting character to Japanese cooking. There are over ten types of octopus caught all over the world and their sizes vary from Idako (baby octopuses), which are less than 10cm/4 in, to ones over 3m/10 ft. The most common octopus are in the ma-dako family.

Japanese cooking uses the octopus’ eight tentacles, lightly blanched, for sashimi and vinegared salad dishes. Octopus is also used in hotpots, oden in particular, and for making an ink-marinated delicacy to accompany drinks. Prepared tentacles are available from fish counters in Japanese stores.