Japanese cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Stir-Fried Liver with Garlic Chives

Beef liver in strips, stir-fried with garlic chives and soy sauce over high heat in a wok.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g beef liver
• 2 bunches garlic chives (nira, or chives)
• 200 g bean sprouts
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 piece ginger (3 cm)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the beef liver into 5 mm thin strips, soak in cold water for 10 min., then rinse thoroughly and pat very dry — this removes the bitter taste.
2. Mix the liver strips with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake and the cornstarch and let sit, meanwhile finely chop the garlic and ginger.
3. Cut the garlic chives into 4 cm long pieces and rinse the bean sprouts in cold water and drain.
4. Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil until very hot in a wok and sear the liver in two batches for 1–2 min. each until browned outside but still pink inside; remove.
5. Fry the remaining sesame oil with garlic, ginger and chili flakes for 30 sec., add the bean sprouts and chives and stir-fry for 1–2 min. until the chives just wilt.
6. Return the liver to the wok, deglaze with the remaining soy sauce, sake and mirin, toss for 30 sec., season with salt and pepper and serve at once with rice.