Chicken Liver Fry

Memorial Day: A Moment to honor our Veterans
The start of the Summer heralded by the long weekend is a time of fun but for the reminder by the parade of bikers who ride to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in the Nation's Capital to honor their fallen comrades the purpose of the holiday will be all but forgotten. I would like to take a moment to remember them.


Potomac River in all its glory (Reminds me of Cauvery River and home)

If this is one of those things that brings out the Ewww factor stop reading. Growing up I remember fighting for the lonely piece of Chicken Liver whenever chicken was cooked if at all it survived the cooking process getting so soft when cooked it might just get dissolved. Back home we buy chicken by the number, get the chicken that weighs as much as we want to buy, so the chances of more than one chicken liver is not likely.


Iron Content (7.5mg for 90 g)
There was a Blood Drive by the Red Cross at work. I proceeded to donate some, among the various that are done to better determine if it is ok to give blood, the nurse did one test where she dropped a drop of blood into a test tube of some solution and the blood just kept floating, it is supposed to sink. So she took another droplet of blood for the same test to be done in a machine which showed that my blood was borderline for iron. Another point to the left I would have been disqualified. Disqualified I was in the next test because of my visit to India 8 months ago. It must be a year before you can donate blood if you travel to a country where Malaria is prevalent.

This gave me a scare and prompted me to look for foods that are rich in iron content. Nothing can beat Chicken Liver in the iron content department. I had gone grocery shopping with a friend who bought a tub of Chicken Liver which prompted me to grab one too (usually I just walk past wondering what I would do with that much liver) and she also gave me a simple quick recipe.

Warning:
Eating too much liver is not good because it also a significant source of Vitamin A. Read this story in bbc.com Britons 'eating too much liver'. Well I did not know that Britons were fond of liver.



Chicken Liver Fry (Serves about 4 Liver Loving Adults)




Ingredients
1. Chicken Liver (20 oz) washed thoroughly and cut in half if needed
2. 1/2 Red Onion Sliced thin lengthwise
3. 2 cloves garlic sliced (optional)
4. 3/4 tbsp sambhar powder or chilli powder (if adding chilli powder add a tsp of cumin powder)
5. 2 Red Chillies broken and seeds removed
6. 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice or Vinegar
7. Salt to taste
8. 1/2 tbsp oil

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan add the red chillies
2. Add the onions and saute till they start turning color
3. Now add the chicken liver pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the powders and salt.
4. Put the lid on and cook for about 8 minutes or till the liver is cooked completely (the color should change from bright red to gray)
4. Open the lid add the lemon juice and cook till all the water evaporates and the spice is well coated.

Serve with rice as a side.