Name: Durban-Style Peri-Peri Chicken Livers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 500 g chicken livers; 80 ml cake flour (sub: plain/all-purpose flour, available at both); 2.5 ml seasoned salt, or plain sea salt with a pinch of pepper; 30 ml oil; ½ onion, finely chopped; a handful of fresh curry leaves (sub: dried curry leaves, available in the spice aisle at Spinneys and Carrefour); 15 ml cumin seeds; 2.5 ml chilli flakes (optional); 1-2 green chillies, finely sliced; 10 ml garlic, crushed; 2 sachets Ina Paarman's Portuguese Peri-Peri Flavour Bomb (sub: 30 ml peri-peri sauce, such as Nando's, available at Spinneys); 250 ml fresh cream; 30 ml tomato paste; a handful of fresh coriander; crispy fried onions, to garnish (ready-made fried onions available at Spinneys and Carrefour); fresh pomegranate arils, to garnish (pomegranates available fresh at both, or use pre-packed arils)

Durban-Style Peri-Peri Chicken Livers

Chicken livers the Durban way. Flour-coated, pan-fried, then finished in a spiced peri-peri cream sauce with curry leaves, green chilli and fresh coriander. Serve with crusty rolls and don't apologise for the mess.

15 min prep · 25 min cook · serves 2 · easy

Durban has always done things differently. The city's large Indian community wove their spices deep into South African food culture, and chicken livers became one of the most delicious results. Where most of SA was serving livers plain with toast, Durban was throwing in curry leaves, cumin and green chilli. This recipe is Ina Paarman's take on that Durban classic, and it's the kind of thing you'll find yourself craving on a Friday night in Dubai when you just need something that tastes like home.

Ingredients

500 g chicken livers

80 ml cake flour (sub: plain/all-purpose flour, available at both)

2.5 ml seasoned salt, or plain sea salt with a pinch of pepper

30 ml oil

½ onion, finely chopped

a handful of fresh curry leaves (sub: dried curry leaves, available in the spice aisle at Spinneys and Carrefour)

15 ml cumin seeds

2.5 ml chilli flakes (optional)

1-2 green chillies, finely sliced

10 ml garlic, crushed

2 sachets Ina Paarman's Portuguese Peri-Peri Flavour Bomb (sub: 30 ml peri-peri sauce, such as Nando's, available at Spinneys)

250 ml fresh cream

30 ml tomato paste

a handful of fresh coriander

crispy fried onions, to garnish (ready-made fried onions available at Spinneys and Carrefour)

fresh pomegranate arils, to garnish (pomegranates available fresh at both, or use pre-packed arils)

Method

Rinse the chicken livers under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.

Mix the flour and seasoned salt in a bowl. Add the livers and toss to coat, then shake off any excess.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Fry the livers for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the onion, curry leaves, cumin seeds, chilli flakes, green chilli and garlic until the onion is soft.

Add the peri-peri flavour bomb (or peri-peri sauce) and stir well.

Pour in the cream and tomato paste and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine.

Return the livers to the pan and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Stir through a generous handful of chopped coriander.

Serve with Portuguese rolls or crusty bread. Garnish with fried onions, extra coriander and pomegranate arils.