Gizdodo, Gizzard and fried Plantain

Gizdodo, gizzard + dodo = gizdodo (dodo is fried plantain). The name is simple enough for one to guess the 2 main ingredients, gizzard and plantain. The dish is also simple enough to prepare and cook but when it comes to the taste, you realise where the originator of this dish channelled their creative energy. Gizdodo is fried gizzard and plantain coated in tomato sauce.

The mix of sweet and salty is always a winner which makes the combination of salty gizzard and sweet dodo a hit at every Nigerian party or event. Gizdodo is usually one of the first side dishes to finish at these parties unless you made it by the “cooler” load.

Things to Consider when making Gizdodo

Although Gizdodo is a simple dish, always consider the following when making it:

• The spice level can be controlled by you but typical of such Nigerian small chop, Gizdodo needs some heat (spice).
• Cut the plantain and gizzard to about the same size, it looks prettier.
• Use ripe plantains, because the deliciousness of the dish is in the contrast between sweet plantains and salty gizzard.
• Don’t Fry the gizzard too dry and tough. The textural contrast between the dodo and gizzard will be too much. You need to have both of them mix and meld into one in your mouth.
• You can use chicken or turkey gizzard.

How to prepare gizdodo

For the Gizzard

450g Gizzard
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon dry thyme
1 seasoning cubes
½ teaspoon salt
50g onions (1/2 medium)

For the Plantain
1 large ripe plantain
Vegetable oil for frying

For Gizdodo
1/4cup vegetable oil
150g onions (1 ½ medium)
120g whole tomatoes (2 large)
3 scotch bonnet
1 seasoning cube
¼ cup stock
Salt
1 small green bell pepper
1 small red bell pepper

Prepare the Gizzard

Wash and clean the gizzard, removing any bits of fat and others. Wash the ridges well.

Put gizzard in a small pot, add a little water, curry, thyme, salt, seasoning cube and onions.

Cook until the gizzard is ready about 15 minutes.

It should still be crunchy but a fork will easily pass through it.

The stock should have reduced and concentrated by now.

Drain gizzard into a sieve, set aside to cool down.

Reserve the stock.

Cut the cooled gizzard into small pieces (It will shrink when fried).

Prepare the Plantain

Wash and cut plantain. Cut off the 2 ends of the plantain, run a knife along the skin and peel it off.

Cut into small cubes, sprinkle a little salt on it and toss.

Heat up oil for frying, fry plantains until deep brown.

Drain on to kitchen napkin and set aside.

Fry the gizzard in the same oil as the plantains. Don’t fry it to be too dry.

Drain into kitchen napkins and set aside.

Wash and grind onions, tomato and scotch bonnet for the gizdodo to a puree.

Wash, deseed and cut green and red bell peppers into cubes, set aside (reserve some for garnishing).

In a deep dry frying pan or saucepan, pour ¼ cup of the frying oil.

When hot, pour the pureed tomato in and stir.

Add ¼ cup stock and stock cube and fry until tomato puree has reduced and the oil begins to float on top, there should still be some freshness to the tomatoes, so don’t fry to complete dryness.

Pour in the gizzard and plantains, stir and fry until tomato is dry enough and has no tartness, stirring very often about 5 minutes.

Add cubed bell peppers, taste and add salt.

Stir and cover, reduce the heat and cook until peppers have softened about 3 minutes.

Take off the heat.

Serve your gizdodo with Nigerian jollof rice, white rice with Nigerian tomato stew, Adalu (Beans and sweet corn), Yam porridge etc.

I even use leftover gizdodo to fill my plantain empanadas. You can also eat it on its own with a lovely drink like my Zobo, Virgin Pina Colada and Beetroot juice Mocktail.

Note

• The long frying will get the tomato and pepper flavour to penetrate the gizzard and dodo, entering every crevice. Also, it will further soften the gizzard a bit especially if it was over-fried.
• You can grill your boiled gizzard instead of frying it.

You will also enjoy my Nigerian Peppered Snail, Beef Liver Sauce, Nigerian Peppered Gizzard and Asun, spicy goat meat.

Gizdodo

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Gizdodo is fried gizzard and plantain coated in tomato sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish, stew

Cuisine Nigerian, yoruba

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Gizzard

• 450 g Gizzard
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon dry thyme
• 1 seasoning cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 50 g onions (1/2 medium)

Plantain

• 1 large ripe plantain
• Vegetable oil for frying

Gizdodo

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 150 g onions (1 ½ medium)
• 120 g whole tomatoes (2 large)
• 3 scotch bonnet
• 1 seasoning cube
• ¼ cup stock
• Salt
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper

Instructions

 

Gizzard

• Wash and clean the gizzard, removing any bits of fat and others. Wash the ridges well.
• Put gizzard in a small pot, add a little water, curry, thyme, salt, seasoning cube and onions.
• Cook until the gizzard is ready about 15 minutes. It should still be crunchy but a fork will easily pass through it. The stock should have reduced and concentrated by now.
• Drain gizzard into a sieve, set aside to cool down. Reserve the stock.
• Cut the cooled gizzard into small pieces (It will shrink when fried).

Plantain

• Wash and cut plantain. Cut off the 2 ends of the plantain, run a knife along the skin and peel it off.
• Cut into small cubes, sprinkle a little salt on it and toss.
• Heat up oil for frying, fry plantains until deep brown.
• Drain onto kitchen napkin and set aside.
• Fry the gizzard in the same oil as the plantains. Don’t fry it to be too dry.
• Drain into kitchen napkins and set aside.

Sauce

• Wash and grind onions, tomato and scotch bonnet for the gizdodo to a puree.
• Wash, deseed and cut green and red bell peppers into cubes, set aside (reserve some for garnishing).
• In a deep dry frying pan or saucepan, pour ¼ cup of the frying oil.
• When hot, pour the pureed tomato in and stir.
• Add ¼ cup stock and stock cube and fry until tomato puree has reduced and the oil begins to float on top, there should still be some freshness to the tomatoes, so don’t fry to complete dryness.

Gizdodo

• Pour in the gizzard and plantains, stir and fry until tomato is dry enough and has no tartness, stirring very often about 5 minutes.
• Add cubed bell peppers, taste and add salt.
• Stir and cover, reduce the heat and cook until peppers have softened about 3 minutes.
• Take off the heat.
• Serve your gizdodo with Nigerian jollof rice, white rice with Nigerian tomato stew, Adalu (Beans and sweet corn), Yam porridge etc.

Notes

• The long frying will get the tomato and pepper flavour to penetrate the gizzard and dodo, entering every crevice. Also, it will further soften the gizzard a bit especially if it was over-fried.
• You can grill your boiled gizzard instead of frying it.
• I even use leftover gizdodo to fill my plantain empanadas. You can also eat it on its own with a lovely drink like my Zobo, Virgin Pina Colada and Beetroot juice Mocktail.

Keyword beer parlour food, gizzard, peppersauce, plantain, pub food

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