Delicious

Different Textures Add Spice to Stir-Fried Liver and Nira Garlic Chives

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Stir-fried liver and nira garlic chives

By Ryo Kato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:00 JST, October 13, 2024

With the summer heat finally on the decline, Chef Ryo Imai recommends stir-fried liver and nira garlic chives, a popular Chinese dish. Curry powder is a secret ingredient to make this dish more appetizing.

Liver is rich in vitamins, iron and other nutrients, but many people avoid eating it because of its peculiar taste.

Imai said he is not that fond of liver, but added, “Stir-fried liver becomes more palatable if you take care with how you season it.”

Pork liver is often used for the dish, but this time he chose chicken liver, which has a less distinctive flavor.

First, the chicken liver is carefully washed in ice water to remove a blackish-red strip of flesh that produces a distinctive odor. The water should be replaced once or twice during the process. Chicken livers are sometimes sold with a portion of the heart. Imai recommends not to remove it, as it provides a nice, firm texture.

Other than nira chives, bean sprouts are often used as an ingredient in stir-fried liver dishes. But as they tend to make the dish too watery, he used onion instead.

A small amount of curry powder is added to the sauce to keep the flavor from becoming overpowering. “The curry powder will reduce the smell of the liver, while preserving the flavor,” he said.

Because it is seasoned before grilling, the liver should be the first ingredient grilled, as it takes more time than normal to brown. If the liver is stir-fried together with vegetables, the vegetables will be overcooked, and the texture of the dish will deteriorate.

Therefore, remove the liver from the pan before frying the vegetables. Add the liver back in and mix together while still on the heat.

When combining the sauce with the solid ingredients, do not pour the sauce directly on top, because they will become watery while the sauce is warm. Let the sauce simmer in a space in the pan before mixing.

The textures of both the crunchy vegetables and the tender liver are pleasant. The curry powder gives the dish a gentle aroma, making it easy to eat. This dish is a good way to restore stamina.

Curried green pepper salad

Imai prepared a salad dish using green peppers and curry powder as it is often difficult to use up the powder at home.

Cut four green peppers in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice thinly so as to cut the fibers. Soak in cold water for five minutes and drain.

In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of curry powder. The crunchy texture and curry flavor should stimulate your appetite.

Stir-fried liver and nira garlic chives

Ingredients (Serves 2):

200 grams chicken liver
1 bunch nira chives
½ onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 clove minced ginger
1 tsp oyster sauce
¼ tsp curry powder

Directions:

1. Cut the nira chives into 5-centimeter pieces and the onion into 5-millimeter slices.

2. Cut the liver into bite-sized pieces and rinse two or three times in ice water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes and then pat dry.

3. Add the liver, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sake, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of potato starch to a bowl. Mix well with your hand.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the liver and remove when browned on both sides.

5. Wipe the pan, and heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute briefly. When fragrant, add the chives and onion, and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

6. Return the liver to the pan, and mix with the other ingredients.

7. Prepare the sauce by mixing together 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sake, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce and ¼ teaspoon of curry powder.

8. Make room in the pan, pour in the sauce and bring to the boil. Stir-fry quickly before serving.