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Peppered Liver

Also known as Peppered Liver (Apo Ata)

Peppered Liver is a quick, intensely flavoured Nigerian dish that celebrates beef liver — one of the most nutritionally dense and flavourful proteins available. Liver is quickly fried until just cooked through, then finished in a bold pepper and onion sauce that perfectly complements its rich, slightly metallic, mineral flavour.

Peppered Liver, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • a big piece of fresh beef liver, sliced into 1 finger thickness thick pieces
  • Lemon juice for cleaning
  • 3 big ripe tomatoes, blended
  • 2 Tatashe (red bell peppers), blended
  • 3 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion — half blended, half sliced into rings
  • 3 cooking spoons of vegetable oil
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Cleaning the Liver. Place the sliced liver in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over it and rub gently. Soak in lightly salted water for 10 minutes — this draws out any blood and reduces the strong liver smell. Drain and pat completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt, curry and 1 crushed seasoning cube.

  2. 02

    Quick-Frying the Liver. Heat 2 cooking spoons of oil in a wide pan over very high heat. The oil must be very hot. Add the liver slices in a single layer — work in batches if needed. Fry for 90 seconds per side — no longer. The liver should be browned on the outside but still slightly pink inside. Remove immediately and set aside. Overcooking at this stage is the most common mistake — it makes the liver tough.

  3. 03

    Making the Pepper Sauce. In the same pan, heat 1 more cooking spoon of oil. Add the sliced onion rings and fry for 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes, Tatashe and Atarodo. Fry for 12 to 15 minutes until well cooked and oil floats on top.

  4. 04

    Finishing. Return the quick-fried liver to the pepper sauce. Add remaining seasoning cube and salt. Stir gently to coat each piece. Cook for just 3 to 4 minutes — enough to finish cooking the liver through in the sauce without over-cooking it. Taste and adjust. Serve immediately.

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