“Stir-fried pig’s liver with scallion and Hua Diao rice wine. You will like this, if you like livers, but if you don’t vary the dish with other meat types and adapt the recipe, it’s still perfectly fine though!”
Of course, I was following up with the other “Scholar dish“, or perhaps, it’s just the usual stir-fried pig’s liver dish, I shall called it now (smile).
I wanted to recommend this dish as I think having the best and freshest pig’s organs is to have it dealt and cooked by your own! I have never tasted any fresher pig’s livers from outside stores/ food centres than those I cooked at home, seriously. It’s simply because you will choose the best liver, probably bought it freshly from the market first thing in the early morning, then store and chill it perfectly. Then, cook it almost immediately to retain its freshness, with the best cooking method you’ve learnt.
Follow my cooking steps in my recipe posted previously. And, just take note of the following tips, I guess it’s not hard to achieve what I meant, freshest and tastier dish of pig’s liver (winking smile).
When you handle pig’s liver:
1) Get the bright red liver instead of dark red or purplish one from the market or ensure the packing date is on the even date, if you got it from supermarket.
2) Keep liver in the refrigerator once reach home, and bring it out only till the moment of slicing or cooking it.
3) Just rinse the whole liver once, then slice it very thinly. Or best if you could get the butcher to do the slicing for better cut result. Then, briefly rinse one more time, when sliced.
When you cook the liver:
1) You have to do the cooking pretty quickly. Heat up a pot of water with adding some salt in it (and add even slice of ginger, if desired), then heat off once it’s boiled or almost boiled. Plunge liver slices into the hot water, preferably on a strainer, for easier manipulation. Shift the strainer constantly while blanching. If you do not have a strainer, then it’s OK. Just plunge liver slices in the pot of hot water. Use a chopstick to stir the liver while blanching.
2) Need not to blanch it too long, about 10 – 15 seconds will do, even it is still very raw. I just blanch it briefly to get rid of some impurities from the meat. By the act of blanching, it also help a little in eliminating the strong smell of the liver.
3) When you cook it, do it very quickly. Stir-fry the ginger and spring onion/ scallion first. Then, here add the liver slices, and condiments. You may get all the necessary condiments mixed first or ready on hand, so that you may just add them in immediately after adding liver. Stir-fry just a little more with fast hand, reduce heat, if it is too strong.
4) Heat off and you may let the remaining heat in the wok to further cook it, but dish up once it’s just done and still remained tender.
This liver dish I cooked, definitely without any strong smell of the “porky taste” or weird texture. The robust flavour cooked with this recipe does help to make it more pleasant to taste, too. You may even add some chopped Chili padi (Bird’s eye chili) to spice the flavour up a little more! Well, if you are a pig’s liver lover, you will surely like this recipe!
*Just a post to share my cooking experience.
Haido January 7, 2010
Hi Patrica
Happy New Year =)
Thanks for the liver blanching tip!! No wonder my dish came out tasting funny when i merely stir fried it with ginger.. lol
I had a hard time slicing the liver and ended up with uneven slices haha… Next time I think i’ll just ask the butcher to slice for me =)
Keep those cooking posts coming!! Would you have any special CNY dishes to share? =)
Thanks!
Traci
PatriCa BB January 7, 2010
Hi Traci,
Happy New Year :)
Ya man, I had the same problem, too, in fact. Too impatient to slowly slice it very thinly.. Always get the butcher to do the job.. They have the best butcher knife..haha..
Hmm… I am thinking of cray fish dish this year… and the usual white Promfet and chicken dishes, too..
Will think about it and keep them posted in advance the CNY, k… :)
Haido January 11, 2010
Hey Patrica,
Haha yes the butcher has the best knife and more skill & experience in cutting slicing chopping etc =)
Oh I’ve never cooked pomfret before.. i like steamed pomfret teochew style hehe. Actually i’ve never steamed a whole fish before. Its always cod fish slice or other fish slice/piece..
Looking forward to your CNY dishes! =)
PS: I’m holding a lunch for my frens after the CNY holiday and I am not sure what to cook, that will be fast and easy and yet delicious…
Cheers!
Traci
PatriCa BB January 11, 2010
Next time show you my pomfret dish.. Or, do I have it in my blog already?? :)
Hmm… I have my yearly CNY gathering with some old friend, too. I normally do steamboat with them.. Just make the soup stock and prepare the raw ingredients.. So easy.. Otherwise, I will do the usual fried bee hoon and curry chicken dish with some fried cuttle fish balls and Ngoh Hiang.. I think you may also consider pasta dish for simple yet presentable lunch.. Do check out my 1-dish-meal or pasta recipes, to get more ideas.. :)
Haido January 12, 2010
Hi Patrica,
I think your blog has the pomfret recipe and i even printed it out before =)
But i’m just too lazy to cook whole fish hehe.. probably try it one weekend then LOL
Last year I made steamboat for them, but the meat was tasteless and dry cos i didnt marinate them beforehand.. Maybe i can include another dish also.. will look thru your blog again =)
I love ngor hiang but i think its alot work hehe..
take care!
traci
PatriCa BB January 12, 2010
Whole fish is not difficult as I usually get the fish monger from wet market to scrape the fish scales and clean out the internals for me. That makes my whole fish not much difference from steaming fillet.
Oh ya, you have to marinate the pork and chicken, best overnight seasoned.
Hmm.. I did my ngoh hiang very simple.. but very hardly do as my family does not really like ngor hiang.
OK, I will think about what good to cook this CNY.. :)
PatriCa BB January 13, 2010
Hey Traci, I suddenly remember.. maybe you can cook prawn mee soup for your CNY gathering.. 1-dish meal.. delicious and easy.. :)
Haido January 13, 2010
Hi Patrica
Wow prawn mee… sounds great! Thanks! I should try cooking it before the actual day LOL
oh btw, what electric mixer do you use? I use Philips Cucina and its not good to use. At the lowest speed even, my eggs will “fly” all over.
Looking for a good electric mixer thats not too expensive.. =)
I often “dream” about KitchenAid but that is TOO expensive for me haha..
traci
PatriCa BB January 13, 2010
Is it because the mixing bowl too shallow also?
Mine’s just a decent brand,I am using Cornell, but it has a big and deep mixing bowl, so my mixture seems OK when beating.. Didn’t ‘fly’ out.. haha..
I, too, have my dream stainless steel electrical mixer.. but not sure if I should invest in this now.. :)
Haido January 14, 2010
Hi hi…
Okay maybe i should buy a depper mixing bowl and see what happens =)
If tat works, then i can save on the new mixer and buy other stuffs tat i need lol
We all have our dream appliances hehe… i wish i can have Rachel Ray or Martha’s kitchen with all their knick-knacks :)
Its so nice talkin to you about cooking & stuff!! My husband gets bored after a while haha
traci