Igado

Ingredients

• 400 g pork tenderloin, cut into long matchsticks
• 300 g pork liver, cut into long matchsticks
• 5 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp cane vinegar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 cup pork broth or water
• 2 tbsp neutral oil

Before you cook

• Cut the pork and the liver into matchsticks roughly 5 cm long and 1 cm thick.
• Toss the liver matchsticks with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and leave them for 15 minutes.
• Cut the bell peppers into strips of the same length as the meat.
• Mince the garlic and slice the onion.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke.
2. Add the pork tenderloin matchsticks and sear them for 3 minutes without stirring, so they take colour.
3. Toss the pork and sear for another 2 minutes, then push it to one side of the pan.
4. Add the garlic and onion and fry them for 3 minutes until softened.
5. Pour in the cane vinegar and let it bubble hard for 2 minutes without stirring, so the sharp edge cooks off.
6. Add the remaining soy sauce, the fish sauce, bay leaves, cracked pepper and the cup of broth.
7. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes until the pork is tender.
8. Drain the marinated liver and slide it into the pan.
9. Cook the liver for 5 minutes only, stirring once, until it firms up but stays pink at the centre.
10. Scatter in the bell pepper strips and green peas.
11. Cook for a final 3 minutes so the peppers keep their snap.
12. Taste the sauce and balance it with a splash more vinegar if the soy is dominating.
13. Serve at once, before the liver has a chance to go grainy.