Chicken Liver Fry

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Chicken Liver is one of the two most widely available types of liver in many countries and are found in supermarkets, local butcher’s shops, at farmer’s markets or even online.

I was a fan of chicken livers since my school days but hey I know many out there who are sceptical about organ meat. Eating liver is an acquired taste and if you have not acquired that taste as a child, it is likely that you will not like it as an adult. Growing up with four other siblings, my first taste of chicken liver was when I was in junior school, when my mum plonked half a chicken liver in my plate and the other half was given to one of my sibling. She then said “eat this piece of liver, it is very good for you”. A quick taste made me realise it had a unique but intense flavour with a grainy texture that left a strong and bold after taste. Did I like that flavour, texture and the after taste? Funnily, I did not mind it at all. It was from here I gradually learnt to like it and in fact, we had to wait our turn to get that chicken liver because we only had chicken for occasions and it was not a part of our weekly diet. The chickens were grown at home and consumed only for occasions such as extended family gatherings, birthdays, visitors from overseas and Christmas. Further, in the days gone by, we were unable to buy chicken liver by the kilo in a packet and as a result, we had to wait till we had the next chicken meal! While on the topic of chicken livers, is there anyone out there whose mum used to refer to ‘chicken liver’ as ‘Kaleez’? If it is so, then I know why my mother referred to the chicken liver as ‘kaleez’ (meaning heart) and I ate it as ‘kaleez’. Little did I know it was a different organ!

Chicken liver falls within the term “Offal”. The term “Offal” refers to all non-muscular parts such as any internal organs and entrails of beef, veal, mutton, lamb and pork. These are the less popular cuts but delicious just the same. If you asked a millennial or a Gen Z, they would probably frown upon you and would never want to give offal a second glance, if it is placed on the dining table. I don’t blame them because eating offal is an acquired taste and as we have plenty of nutrious rich foods available now, unfortunately offal is not the choice. However, I believe that if one likes pâté, it is possible you will also like offal. Don’t be alarmed if your teenager looks at you with disgust if you tell her/him that liver is on the menu tonight!! The other day when I prepared these livers, my son asked me “what else is there other than liver”? I told him politely, nothing else and he said he will have Uber Eats!!!! He has never tasted liver at all!!! Having said this, when we went to Scotland before the pandemic, he ordered haggis at a pub in Edinburgh and that was a sheer surprise to me and what was more surprising was that he really enjoyed it!!

Offal is consumed directly as food or used to make terrines and pâté or minced up with other ingredients to make a stuffing.

Offal is a big part of Mangalorean cuisine, be it for occasions or everyday cooking. In fact, when I was in junior school, my mother used to cook beef/calf liver as a necessity because it was a good source of inexpensive protein and a great source of iron and folate. I was not a fan of beef/calf liver, but my siblings would eat it simply because our mother told us that it was nutritious. Organ meat has made a resurgence in haute cuisine, where the emphasis is on the quality of food with moderate portions and high ended ingredients. In modern cuisine, organ meat is a food of luxury and is enjoyed as a delicacy.

A favourite dish of most Mangalorean Catholics is a pork offal preparation called “Kaleez Ankiti”, a delectable Mangalorean Catholic pork delicacy in which the pork offal takes the centre stage – lung, heart, kidneys, tongue, intestines, tail, ears, blood jelly and liver. You ask a Mangalorean Catholic about “Kaleez Ankiti” and their eyes will light up and will even devour just these very two words because most Mangalorean Catholics have grown up eating this iconic dish. Today, it is not easy to buy much of the organ meat, as supermarkets rarely sell the more challenging cuts. Your friendly local butcher is probably your best bet for securing fresh offal and particularly one serving an ethnic community. Although I have eaten it when I was growing up, unfortunately offal is not a meat of choice in our household anymore.

Among all the organ meats, chicken livers, duck livers and beef livers are very high in essential nutrients. Eating liver has been known to prevent anemia due to its high dose of iron, aid growth and development, and maintaining high energy levels.

Chicken livers are mildest in taste compared to other livers and for us it is a delicacy which we enjoy from time to time.

Here is an extremely easy chicken liver recipe which you will be able to cook in under 30 minutes. I hope you will enjoy this dish just as much as my family and I do, be it a bruch inspiration or a main meal!

If you have tried this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback. Please be sure to rate the recipe and/or leave a comment below. If you want to see more recipe inspirations, you can follow me on instagram @lavina_mendonsa.