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1
Trim and Season the Liver
10 Mins
Room temperature
Rinse the liver briefly and pat it very dry with paper towels. Peel off the thin outer membrane, trim any tubes or tough bits, and cut the liver into even bite-size pieces about 2 cm across. Toss the pieces with half the cumin and the black pepper.
Do not salt the liver yet — salt draws out moisture and stops the pieces from browning.
Done when: Liver in even pieces, dry to the touch, lightly coated in cumin and pepper.
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2
Fry the Liver Fast
8 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the liver in a single layer and fry without moving it for 2 minutes, then turn the pieces and fry 2–3 minutes more until browned on the outside. The centre of the thickest piece should reach 71°C (160°F) — just cooked through, not grey all the way. Lift the liver out onto a plate.
Work in two batches if the pan is crowded; piled-up liver steams instead of frying and turns rubbery.
Done when: Deep brown outside, the centre just cooked through and still tender.
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3
Soften the Onion and Chilli
5 Mins
Medium heat, ~170°C (340°F)
Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the same pan with the garlic and green chillies. Cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes until the onion is soft and sweet-smelling and the chillies have wilted.
Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan as the onion cooks — that is where the flavour is.
Done when: Onion soft and translucent, chillies wilted, pan smelling sweet and spicy.
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4
Finish with Cumin, Lemon and Coriander
2 Mins
Medium heat, ~170°C (340°F)
Return the liver to the pan with the remaining cumin and the salt. Toss everything together for 1–2 minutes so the liver heats through and picks up the spices, then take the pan off the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice. Scatter the chopped coriander on top.
The lemon goes in off the heat so its brightness stays fresh instead of cooking away.
Done when: Liver glossy and coated in spice, smelling of cumin and lemon, coriander bright green on top.
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5
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Serving temperature, above 63°C (145°F)
Let the kebda rest for 2 minutes so the juices settle, then serve straight from the pan with warm flatbread and a tomato and cucumber salad on the side.
Serve it hot — kebda firms up and loses its tenderness as it cools.
Done when: Hot, juicy liver with soft sweet onion and a fresh lemon finish.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Taste once more for salt and lemon before the pan leaves the stove — kebda needs both to be bright, and a little extra lemon is better than a little extra salt.
Sudan
1h 25m
France
Vietnam