For a nation that did not start eating meat from four-legged animals in earnest until the late 19th century, Japan has certainly taken to it since.
Japanese people are particularly fond of offal, which tends to be shunned in many other cultures. Dishes like motsuni (simmered offal) and horumon yaki (grilled offal) are common ingredients for hot pots at any time of year, but liver is arguably the most popular type of offal. It was even eaten raw as sashimi until July 2012 when it was banned.
Chicken liver tends to be used in simmered dishes, while beef and pork liver are usually stir-fried. Additionally, there are a variety of methods to eliminate the peculiar odor of liver; first, it is soaked in milk, which lessens its bloodiness, and then it is cooked with a variety of strongly aromatic vegetables, especially garlic chives stir-fried quickly to preserve their crispy texture.
Serves 2 to 3
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
• 300 grams pork liver
• Milk for soaking
• 200 grams nira (garlic chives)
• 4 to 5 cabbage leaves
• ½ medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1 tablespoon katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch
• 2½ tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt and pepper
• ½ teaspoon doubanjiang (Sichuan chili paste)
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• Vegetable oil for stir frying
1. Remove the skin and sinew from the pork liver and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Put into a bowl with enough milk to cover, then leave it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Drain off the milk and pat the liver pieces dry with paper towels. Combine with one tablespoon of sake, one tablespoon of soy sauce and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub the mixture into the liver with your hands, then leave it to marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Chop up the tougher stems ends of the garlic chives finely, then slice the leafy parts into 4-centimeter-long pieces. Cut up the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Slice the onion thinly and finely mince the garlic cloves.
4. Combine one tablespoon of sake, 1½ tablespoons of soy sauce and the oyster sauce in a small bowl.
5. Add the potato starch or cornstarch to the liver and mix to coat.
6. Heat up two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the liver in a single layer and cook until lightly browned on both sides, then remove the liver from the pan.
7. Add another tablespoon of oil and the nira stems, onion and garlic to the pan. Stir-fry until the onion is wilted, then add the cabbage and cook until it is slightly wilted, too, or about three minutes.
8. Make a space on the bottom of the pan and add the doubanjiang. Stir-fry to combine with the vegetables, then add the liver back into the pan.
9. Add the nira leaves to the pan and stir-fry until slightly wilted or about two minutes. Add the combined sauce ingredients from Step 4 and stir-fry for another minute, then serve with rice or drinks.
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