Stir-Fried Goat Liver - Not Yucky!

I grew up eating my mom's flavorful 'Stir-fried Liver' and 'Brain Masala'. As we grew older the tradition; for no apparent reason, grew away from us. Now that I'm a mom myself and a recently graduated Nutritional Therapy Consultant, I knew I had to get 'liver' back in my life and introduce it to my son and perhaps get the husband to acclimate to it too. #agirlcanhope

Why must we consume liver or other organ meats for that matter? Because they are incredibly nutrient dense! Here is a list of some of the reasons you want to incorporate liver in your life:

•  Contains ALL of the B-vitamins particularly B-12 and folate.
•  Contains preformed Vitamin A which is the most active form of Vitamin A and therefore more efficiently utilized by the body.
• Excellent source of heme- iron, the more absorbable form of iron.
• Excellent source of protein; just an ounce of liver contains 7gms!
• Good source of healthy fats; an ounce contains 4g of fat.
• Fair source of vitamin D, E & K
• Great source of minerals; particularly selenium, zinc, phosphoros and potassium
• Excellent for liver health
• Source of CoQ10

I  don't believe in any one food being the miracle worker, BUT in my opinion, liver coming from healthy animals can be a wonderful addition to your diet especially if you are:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding
• A couple trying to conceive
• Iron deficient
• Struggling with hormonal issues (thyroid, PCOS etc.)
• Struggling with liver issues
• Struggling with blood sugar issues
• Doing a Ketogenic Diet

Here's an excerpt from the book NOURISHING TRADITIONS written by Sally Fallon:

Almost all traditional cultures prize organ meats for their ability to build reserves of strength and vitality. Organ meats are extremely rich in fat- soluble vitamins A and D, as well as esssential fatty acids, important very-long-chain super unsaturated fatty acids and the whole gamut of macro and trace minerals. Wild animals eat the organs of their kill first, thus showing a wisdom superior to our own. The first solid food that native African mothers give to their babies is raw liver, which they thoughtfully chew for them. Folk wisdom throughout the world, including Europe, values brains as a food for babies and growing children.

SO are there any concerns regarding the  consumption of organ meats??
There are a few things that need to be kept in mind. One of the functions of the liver ( in animals and humans) is to break down and remove toxins and/or store certain toxins that cannot be eliminated. Therefore, it is important to buy organ meats from animals who are at least organic if not pasture-raised (NOT pastuerized- these are two different things) or animals you know for certain are less exposed to pesticides, antibiotics and toxins.
Should we be  concerned about the cholestrol content?
Very succinctly; NO! Your liver produces cholestrol EVERYDAY. If you get more from your diet; your body will start producing less. (Will write a detailed post about the misconceptions pertaining to cholestrol soon).
The  only time you should be concerned:
If you have gout (organ meants are high in purines which can exacerbate gout symptoms) or any other acute/chronic kidney disease or are supplementing with high dose Vitamin A, it is best to avoid organ meats and consult your doctor before going ahead.
Now, adding liver to your diet won't solve ALL your problems (nothing works in isolation) but it is a highly recomended food to add to your grocery list. When it comes to organ meats like brain, liver, heart etc. MORE IS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD, so you don't want to overdo it. Even if you manage to hide it in your beef burgers or successfully scarf down a tablespoon of it and consume that on a bi-weekly to weekly basis I think that's great too! So take a break from the regular cuts of meats us modern humans prefer and give my mom's recipe a try:

Ingredients:
250 gms Goat liver
Juice of one full lemon
1/2 small onion
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies
3/4 tsp salt or as per taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tbls freshly prepared ginger garlic paste*
1 medium-sized tomato chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh green coriander
1 small green chilli (optional)
2 tbls of ghee (adjust to your liking)

Directions:

1. Cut liver into small bite-sized pieces. Marinate liver in lemon juice for half hour.
2. In the meantime fry onions in ghee till light brown/caramelized.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sautee till fragrant (about 30 seconds)
4. Add liver and mix well. Cook till the color changes
5. As the meat changes color add all the spices except salt
6. Let it cook till the ghee separates from the gravy
7. Add chopped tomatoes, turn down heat and cover the pot.
8. After 15 or so minutes or till liver and tomatoes gets tender add salt
9. Let it cook till the ghee separates from the gravy or the water evaporates.
10. Turn off the stove and garnish with fresh coriander and green chillies
    Note: For best flavour consume fresh!

* Add 5-6 garlic cloves with a 1 inch piece of ginger in a blender. Add 3-4 tbls of water and grind to make a paste.