Octopus and Pomelo Salad with Sweet Potato

85 ml (2¾ fl oz) premium-quality fish sauce

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, then set aside in their foil.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and set aside a large bowl of ice-water. Dip the octopus in the boiling water for 3 minutes and then submerge it in the ice-water. Repeat three times. (This process washes the octopus as much as it tenderises it.) 

Half-fill a stockpot with water and add the octopus, the garlic bulb, ginger and lemongrass. Bring this to a simmer and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. Pull out a tentacle as you go and cut a small piece off to test the tenderness. It should be soft and delicate, not chewy. Once it’s ready, pour out most of the water but make sure the octopus is still covered. Drop in a few ice cubes and let it cool to room temperature. 

To make the dressing, melt the palm sugar in 70 ml (¼ fl oz) warm water, then mix in the remaining dressing ingredients and set aside. 

In a large bowl combine the pineapple, spring onion, peanuts and pomelo and set aside. Unwrap the sweet potato and roughly break it into pieces. Break the octopus down into four pieces (with two tentacles each). 

In a large non-stick pan over a high heat, add the vegetable oil and sear the octopus to get a stunning colour on it. Pour over the fish sauce, chilli flakes and vinegar and remove from the heat. Add in the sweet potato. 

Place the sweet potato on the plates first. Combine the pomelo mixture and the dressing, then add to the plates. Arrange the octopus on top so you can really show it off. Garnish with the Vietnamese mint and fried shallots and serve.