Man is compared to a thinking reed, “ashi” in Japanese while the humble octopus is often likened to thinking legs, also “ashi” in Japanese, due to its cleverness. The octopus has eight limbs.

Heat a griddle pan (or even better, a charcoal barbecue) until almost smoking. Brush the octopus legs with oil and char over a high heat for 1-2 minutes each side until nicely marked, just like a ...