Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
Kari Zourit
Octopus simmered until tender in a fragrant coconut curry with ginger, garlic, and island masala, a Seychelles classic.
Seychellois · medium · serves 4
prep 20 min · cook 60 min
~496 cal · 37g protein · 15g carbs · 33g fat · 3g fiber · 5g sugars · 22g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Kari zourit, octopus curry, is one of the most iconic dishes of the Seychelles, a jewel of the Creole kitchen, its influences African, French, Indian, and island. Octopus, caught in the surrounding turquoise waters, is prized here and treated with care to keep it tender.
The curry itself is built on , pressed from the islands' abundant palms, and a fragrant masala of ginger, garlic, turmeric, and . Simmered slowly, the octopus turns silky and drinks up the spiced, creamy sauce. Served with rice, kari zourit is Sunday lunch and celebration food, and a proud taste of the Seychelles' Creole heritage.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
2 lb octopus, cleaned and cut
1 can (14 oz)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves and 1 tbsp garlic and ginger, minced
2 tbsp curry powder and turmeric
1 sprig
2 tbsp
to taste salt
Instructions
1
Simmer the octopus in water until it begins to turn tender, about 30 minutes, then drain.
✎ Chef’s note
Octopus goes from tough to tender only with patience; start the simmer before building the curry.
2
Soften the onion, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves in oil, then stir in the curry powder and turmeric until fragrant.
3
Add the octopus and coconut milk and simmer gently until the octopus is silky and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
4
Season with salt and serve with rice.
Seychellois Creole cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Victoria. The Creole fish curry here is built on coconut milk with turmeric, ginger, garlic and curry leaf, and it is very often made with octopus rather than fish. Breadfruit is roasted or boiled as the starch, and green mango is shredded into a sharp chutney to set against the richness.
🗺️
Seychelles. Ladob runs two ways under one name: sweet, with plantain or breadfruit simmered in coconut milk with sugar, nutmeg and vanilla, or savoury, with salted fish, cassava and plantain in the same coconut base. Bat curry is a genuine local dish rather than a tourist story, made with fruit bat and heavily spiced.
🌍
Africa. Much of what reads as timeless African cooking is younger than the Atlantic crossings. Maize, cassava, groundnut, chilli and tomato all arrived from the Americas after 1500 and pushed older crops aside; millet, sorghum, teff, yam and fonio are the ones that were already here, and the map still shows the join.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Seychelles
Seychellois Fish CurryA fragrant Creole coconut fish curry brightened with lime, ginger, and fresh curry leaves.
Ladob BanannRipe plantains simmered soft in sweet, vanilla-and-nutmeg coconut milk, a Creole breakfast or dessert from the Seychelles.
Bourzwa Griye (Grilled Red Snapper)A whole red snapper slashed and packed with a garlic, ginger, and chili paste, grilled over coals and served with a chunky Creole tomato sauce.
Browse all Seychelles recipes →
Good to know
Storing it: Stews and braises keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and often taste better the next day. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make it a Seychelles meal
Nouga Koko ek Bannann (Coconut and Banana Nougat)Dessert
Bourzwa Griye (Grilled Red Snapper)Dinner
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Chingri Malaikari (Prawn Coconut Curry)Bangladesh
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M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew)Comoros
MatapaMozambique
Aibika with Tinned FishPapua New Guinea
Trinidad CallalooTrinidad & Tobago
Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is Kari Zourit?
Octopus simmered until tender in a fragrant coconut curry with ginger, garlic, and island masala, a Seychelles classic.
Where does Kari Zourit come from?
Kari Zourit is a Seychellois dish from Victoria, Seychelles.
Can Kari Zourit be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Kari Zourit recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Kari Zourit safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Kari Zourit take to make?
About 80 minutes total (20 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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