Poached Octopus by Divya Gugnani

Combine water and vinegar in a large stockpot over high heat. Cut lemons in half, crosswise, and squeeze each half into the water mixture, add each squeezed half to the water. Add the bay leaves and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using tongs or wearing thick rubber gloves hold the octopus by the head, dunk the octopus body into the simmering water three times, leaving it submerged for about 5 seconds each time. This is called "scaring" the octopus, as the tentacles will curl up as you plunge the octopus into the water.

Drop the octopus into the simmering water after the final dunking and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat, drain well, and set aside to cool, add to marinade, cover and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

Serve chilled on its own or over salad<