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Iron-Rich Spinach and Liver Sauce

Iron-Rich Spinach and Liver Sauce is a targeted therapeutic dish designed to address iron deficiency anaemia — one of the most common nutritional deficiencies across Nigeria, particularly affecting women of childbearing age, pregnant women and young children. Beef liver is one of the most concentrated dietary sources of bioavailable haem iron available — a single serving providing more iron than many multivitamin supplements.

Iron-Rich Spinach and Liver Sauce, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • A big piece of fresh beef liver, cleaned and sliced
  • 4 big handfuls of fresh spinach or ugwu leaves, washed and chopped
  • 3 big ripe tomatoes, blended
  • 1 Tatashe (red bell pepper), blended
  • 2 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil
  • 2 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon — squeezed over the finished dish to enhance iron absorption

Method

  1. 01

    Cleaning and Preparing the Liver. Soak the liver slices in cold salted water for 10 minutes to draw out blood and reduce the strong flavour. Drain and pat completely dry. Season lightly with curry, salt and a pinch of Cameroon pepper.

  2. 02

    Frying the Pepper Base. Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and fry 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes, Tatashe and Atarodo. Fry for 12 to 15 minutes until well-cooked and oil floats on top. Add ground crayfish, seasoning cubes and salt.

  3. 03

    Adding the Liver — Quick Cooking. Add the seasoned liver slices to the fried pepper sauce. Cook for just 3 to 4 minutes per side — liver must not be overcooked or it becomes tough, grainy and unpalatable. The liver should be just cooked through but still tender and slightly moist inside.

  4. 04

    Adding the Spinach. Add the chopped spinach or ugwu immediately after the liver is cooked. Stir through vigorously. Cook for just 3 minutes — the spinach should wilt but remain vibrant green. Remove from heat.

  5. 05

    Finishing with Lemon. Squeeze lemon juice over the entire dish just before serving. The vitamin C in the lemon dramatically enhances the absorption of both the haem iron from the liver and the non-haem iron from the spinach.

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