Lamb’s kidney with okra and leek in black bean sauce

[dropcap]Via[/dropcap] popular food/cooking shows (Food Safari, MasterChef, Iron Chef, My Kitchen Rules, etc.), the internet and other media, and simply a more interconnected world/society – it appears that offal (also called variety meats or organ meats)((2)) has entered the mainstream and become more socially accepted/norm. Although some foodies and cultures would argue that offal has always been and will continue to be the bee’s knees/a delicacy, and some people (no matter how hard you try by seasoning/dressing up offal) will just not go there nor buy into the hype. I’m proud to take the former view!!

Wherever you might stand on the offal spectrum, you’d have to agree that offal is not your average/everyday cut of meat (especially some of the more unusual/exotic cuts of offal), and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of trying/eating offal before, you’d also agree that it’s usually characterized with a very distinct flavour and aroma – sometimes pungent, musty, earthy, gamey and wild. Some people would even go so far as describing offal as being quite delicious!! Like I do!!

I love offal, and offal and I go way back! You see, in Lao culture/cuisine, it’s tradition to practice nose/tongue to tail cooking/eating philosophy and not waste a thing. This includes offal in all its glory from ox tongue (yum!) to congealed blood (mmmm!), tripe (yes, please!) to chicken bums (why, hello!). Offal plays such a important role in Lao cuisine that sometimes, it’s the feature/main player/ingredient in some Lao dishes, including larb, soups/stews, etc.

After saying that though, there are some offal cuts that I’m not familiar with. Sweetbreads for example, are new to me and I only recently discovered sweetbreads when I saw them being prepared by Chloe and Kelly in My Kitchen Rules. Although, it is likely that I’ve munched on them before without even knowing what they were – lol!((3)) I’ve since been fascinated by sweetbreads and have ordered/received some from our local butcher (who happens to be next door to a baker) to try and cook. I’ll post a sweetbreads recipe asap!

Over the years, offal has played a significant role in my identity. Having been fed offal at home, you can imagine my surprise/relief/happiness when I first learnt that offal was also enjoyed by other cultures/cuisines. I felt reborn/enlightened when I ate my first steak and kidney pie with tom sauce (and enjoyed it immensely!). I felt more accepted/western when my Czech migrant school friend had told me that her mum also cooked for her lamb’s/calf’s brains (although different to my mum’s Lao recipe). And when my partner first cooked lamb’s fry for breakfast for me, I realised that we weren’t that different after all, and that the world really was quite a small place. Offal was the secret/key ingredient/string that connected us together!

As an artist/foodie and experimental home cook, I’m naturally inquisitive and adventurous when it comes to food and recipe developments/creations. I’ve been brought up well with food – to not be afraid of it, and to respect and appreciate food. I feel inclined to be creative with food and to explore it – at the same time, hopefully make my ancestors proud. bigsmile I’m drawn to strange/unusual ingredients (this includes offal) and I enjoy combining them with other flavours and ingredients to create (possibly) new dishes/recipes that may or may not necessarily work. The kitchen has become my new studio/workspace.

As an intro to the world of offal, I would like to present to you a dish/recipe that utilizes an offal cut that is not too unusual/scary – kidneys; more specifically – lamb’s kidneys. They’re one of the best types of kidneys due to the fact that they’re tender to cook/fry/eat and mild in flavour. I recommend that you use lamb’s kidneys in this recipe. Alternatively, another good/tender option is veal kidneys.((4))

Unlike fruit and veg, offal aren’t seasonal, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them all year round. Although, some cuts are more difficult to find than others. Kidneys are quite common (steak and kidney pies, and deviled kidneys are tasty and popular!), and they can sometimes be easily found at your local supermarket/grocery store – usually at the end of the meat aisle. If you can’t find them there, just ask your friendly local butcher. Otherwise, go to an Asian butcher!

Note: I used 382 grams of lamb’s kidneys in this recipe (to be exact). This was the size/weight of the tray of kidneys sold/bought. I think that this quantity/recipe is enough for at least 2 people (perhaps more) with rice/grains/bread. This dish will make a delicious addition to a meal consisting of other dishes to be shared. If you want to use more kidneys, for example, 500 grams, simply adjust the ingredients and flavours accordingly/slightly to suit your tastebuds/preferences.

Also, this is quite a mild dish. Even though the black bean sauce used was labeled ‘HOT’, I found it mild (perhaps to me only, and this might vary with different brands/producers). Hence, the extra fresh chili was used in the recipe – which still kept the dish relatively mild. Adjust the spiciness to suit your tastebuds, but don’t overpower the flavours of the other ingredients with too much spiciness.

This is a richly flavoured and moreish dish that pairs perfectly with hot steamed rice. The combination of distinctive flavours and textures from all the ingredients work wonderfully well together to create a delicious and delicate dish that is a joy to eat. I hope you’ll give it a try. Sern saab!!((5))

[[1]]Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. Description: English: In mountain regions of Vietnam, people like to eat pork with a lot of fat. I don’t know what they do with the heads but certainly for eating. Date: 27 November 2008, 08:14:33. Source: Flickr: the butcher shop. Author: Bùi Linh Ngân. Permission: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.[[1]]

[[2]]Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offal.[[2]]

[[3]]Don’t you think the term sweetbreads is such a romantic, enticing and delicious name for an offal? Clever way to sell/market offal![[3]]

[[4]]Reference: http://www.switcheroo.com/MeatvarKidneys.html.[[4]]

[[5]]In case you were wondering, the word offal was used 26 times in this post.[[5]]