Kebda Eskandarani is an Egyptian dish that consists of pan-fried liver combined with cumin, garlic, red onion, bell pepper, and lemon to enhance the flavor. It originated from Alexandria, an Egyptian city, which is a popular street food among locals, often enjoyed as a sandwich or served with rice.
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In my experience, not many I know love eating liver since they find the smell unpleasant. However, in the Arab countries, we are known to add different spices and herbs, which gives a nice aroma making these dishes mouthwatering. And that's why I love eating since its not only delicious but it is nutritious too.
There are many delicious Egyptian food, and one I love is a liver dish called Kebda Eskandarani (كبدة اسكندراني). The word "Kebda" is an Arabic word meaning liver in English, and "Eskandarani" is referring to the city of Alexandria. You will find this in most street food stalls in Egypt which they serve it in a baladi bread or bun bread.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I use to make this Egyptian liver recipe:
- Liver: I am using beef liver since it is traditionally used in Egyptian cooking, and I slice it into 2-inch pieces. It has a tougher texture, which doesn't crumble when pan-fried for longer periods compared to chicken liver.
- Red Onion and Garlic: Using red onion is not traditional in Alexandria, but I love adding onion since it gives flavor to my liver dish along with the garlic.
- Olive Oil: You will need olive oil to pan-fry the liver and the other required ingredients.
- Spices & Seasoning: I use cumin, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice since this will enhance the flavor of my liver.
- Bell Pepper: I am using both green and red bell pepper (optional), which will add a nice aroma and help reduce the smell of the liver. In this recipe, I use some for making a puree and set aside the chopped bell pepper during the cooking process.
How to clean and prepare the Liver?
Before cooking the liver, I have to clean and slice the liver first since this will reduce the unpleasant smell of the liver. Here are the step of preparing the liver:
- Remove White Fats: I remove any excess white fats or connective tissue from the liver since this is what gives the unpleasant smell.
- Slice into smaller pieces: Next, I slice the liver into smaller pieces, typically around 2 inches in size."
- Clean with Salt, Lemon Juice, and Water: Lastly, I gently rub the liver with a mixture of salt and lemon juice which I allow it to sit for 5 minutes before rinsing it with water to remove any remaining residue.
Cooking Instruction and Tip
I. Marinating the Liver
To marinate the chicken liver, I combine the green bell pepper and red onion in a food processor which I make into a puree. After that, I transferred the puree into the liver, and added also the grated garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper. Gently mixing them, and then set it aside for 5 minutes.
The marination process will help enhance the aroma of my kebda eskandarani dish.
II. Pan-frying the liver
- Firstly, I added olive oil in the pan which I sauteed the chopped red onion till it becomes translucent
- Next, I added the marinated liver and let it pan-fried for 10 minutes. You will observe the liver will be releasing too much juices but that's normal. Also, during the cooking process, do not stir the liver because it will crumble it.
- After that, I added the chopped bell pepper & lemon juice, and gently stir to mix. Let it cook for 5 more minutes before turning off the heat.
Variation
Here are my other liver recipes from around the world that you will love to try:
1. Kebda Mchermla- This is a Moroccan Lamb Liver dish that is cooked with chermoula sauce such coriander leaves, cumin, garlic and other herbs.
2. Chicken liver Adobo- This is a Filipino liver adobo dish that is seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic which is best served with rice.
3. Jerusalem Mixed Grill- This is a grill meat dish that consist of chicken breast, liver, and heart organ which is traditionally eaten as a sandwich using pita bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to serve this with Egyptian baladi bread or any Arabic kuboos bread. Additionally, if you prefer rice, it pairs well with my Egyptian Koshari rice or any white rice.
You can use chicken or lamb liver as alternatives. However, I don't recommend pork liver since this recipe is halal. Also, be cautious with chicken liver as it tends to crumble easily.
Kebda Eskandarani can last in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. I would not recommend freezing it, as it may alter the liver's texture and result in a mushy consistency.
📋 Recipe Card
Kebda Eskandarani (Egyptian Liver)
Ingredients
- 500 grams beef liver sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion cut into 2 pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped (set aside ¼ cup for sautéing with the liver)
- ¼ cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice add more during serving if desired
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
Marinating the Liver
- Combine green bell pepper and red onion in a food processor to make a puree.
- Transfer the puree into a bowl with the sliced beef liver.
- Add grated garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the liver mixture.
- Gently mix everything together and let it marinate for 5 minutes.
Cooking Process
- Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté chopped red onion until translucent.
- Add the marinated liver to the pan and let it pan-fry for 10 minutes without stirring.
- After 10 minutes, add chopped bell pepper and lemon juice to the pan.
- Gently stir to mix and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add more salt, black pepper or lemon juice if needed. Once the taste is satisfied, turn off the heat.
- Add chopped parsley (optional) for garnish, and serve it with baladi bread or any arabic bread, or rice.
Notes
- Do not stir the liver during the cooking process since it will crumble easily.
- You can use chicken or lamb liver if you prefer.
- Wash the liver with salt, lemon, and water before cooking it, as this will remove the smell.
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