Gizdodo

Ingredients

• a big piece of chicken gizzards, cleaned and trimmed
• 2 ripe plantains (the skin should be yellow with black spots)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 Atarodo (fresh red chilli peppers), blended
• 1 Tatashe (red bell pepper), blended
• 2 big tablespoons of tomato paste
• 3 big tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of ground crayfish
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 cube of Knorr or Maggi seasoning
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying the plantain

Method

1. 01

   Cleaning the Gizzards. Rinse the gizzards under cold running water. Cut away any yellowish fat or connective tissue. Slice each gizzard into two or three pieces. To eliminate any strong odour, rub the gizzards with the juice of half a lemon or lime and 1 teaspoon of salt. Rinse again thoroughly.

2. 02

   Parboiling the Gizzards. Place the gizzards in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Add half an onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, half a seasoning cube, curry powder and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the gizzards are just tender when pierced with a fork. They should not be soft — they will continue cooking later. Drain and set aside, reserving the stock.

3. 03

   Frying the Plantain (Dodo). Peel the ripe plantains and cut into diagonal slices about 1.5 fingers width thick. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the plantain slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden-brown and slightly caramelised. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

4. 04

   Making the Pepper Sauce. In a separate pan, heat 3 big tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes until translucent. Add the blended Atarodo and Tatashe. Stir in the tomato paste. Fry the pepper sauce for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the raw smell is gone and the oil begins to float on top.

5. 05

   Combining. Add the parboiled gizzards to the pepper sauce. Season with ground crayfish, remaining seasoning cube and salt. Add 2 to 3 big tablespoons of the reserved gizzard stock. Stir well and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the gizzards. The gizzards should be fully cooked through and well-coated in the spicy sauce.

6. 06

   Finishing. Gently fold the fried plantain pieces into the gizzard sauce. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the plantain. Cook for 2 minutes so the plantain absorbs the sauce flavours. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot.

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