What is “Levanilla”?
Levanilla is a popular dish in Japanese home cooking, influenced by Chinese cuisine. The official name is “Stir-Fried Liver and Garlic Chives,” and it mainly consists of stir-fried pork liver and garlic chives, flavored with a soy sauce-based sauce infused with garlic and ginger. This dish is highly nutritious, particularly rich in iron and vitamin A, making it ideal for boosting energy and recovering from fatigue. Levanilla is characterized by its rich, satisfying flavor and simple yet well-balanced nutritional content. It is widely enjoyed in Japan, whether at home, in set meal restaurants, or izakayas (Japanese-style pubs), and is loved by many.
Ingredients (for 2 servings)
To make Levanilla, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Pork Liver: 200g
Use fresh pork liver. It’s rich in iron, making it effective for fatigue recovery. - Garlic Chives: 1 bunch
Garlic chives have a crisp texture and are rich in vitamins A and C. - Garlic: 1 clove
Used for aroma. Adjust the amount to your liking. (Use 2cm if using garlic paste) - Ginger: 1 piece
Like garlic, it enhances the flavor. (Use 2cm if using ginger paste) - Soy Sauce: 2 tablespoons
This is the base seasoning, adding a robust flavor. - Sake: 1 tablespoon
Used to remove the liver’s odor. - Mirin: 1 tablespoon
Mirin adds sweetness and balances the overall taste. - Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Necessary to achieve a sweet and savory flavor. - Potato Starch: 1 tablespoon
Coat the liver with this to help the sauce adhere well when stir-fried. - Sesame Oil: 1 tablespoon
Used for stir-frying, adding a rich flavor.
Instructions
- Prepare the Liver
First, cut the pork liver into bite-sized pieces and soak it in water to remove excess blood. After soaking for about 10 minutes, thoroughly pat it dry. Then, sprinkle sake over the liver and gently rub it in. This step helps to reduce the liver’s odor. - Coat the Liver with Potato Starch
Coat the blood-drained liver with potato starch. This will make the liver tender when stir-fried and help the sauce cling to it. - Prepare the Vegetables
Cut the garlic chives into 4-5cm lengths, and grate the garlic and ginger. - Stir-Fry the Liver
Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and add the liver coated in potato starch. Stir-fry quickly over high heat. Once the liver is browned on the outside and cooked through, remove it from the pan. - Stir-Fry the Vegetables
In the same frying pan, add the garlic chives and stir-fry quickly over high heat. Once the vegetables are slightly wilted, return the liver to the pan. - Add the Sauce
Add the sauce mixture (soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic, and ginger) to the frying pan and stir to coat everything evenly. Once the sauce has thickened and the dish has a glossy finish, remove from the heat. - Finish
Serve the Levanilla on a plate and enjoy it while it’s still hot. It pairs perfectly with rice for a more complete meal.
Tips for Delicious Levanilla
The key to making delicious Levanilla is to carefully prepare the liver and stir-fry it quickly over high heat. Properly draining the blood from the liver and using sake to remove any odor, along with paying attention to the heat while stir-frying, will result in tender liver without any unpleasant smell. Additionally, quickly stir-frying the garlic chives helps to retain their crisp texture, creating a delightful contrast with the liver. Give this simple yet satisfying dish a try!
Here is a website where you can search for restaurants in Tokyo that offer menus in foreign languages. If you are planning to visit Tokyo and would like to enjoy Japanese foods at a local restaurant, please make use of this site.
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