Gizdodo Recipe

Out of all the African recipes I cook at home, Gizdodo has always been a family favorite!

What makes the Gizdodo recipe so special, especially in Nigeria? It’s a Yoruba recipe that’s known for cooking chicken gizzards in a homemade pepper sauce and mixing it with mixed bell peppers for a sweet flavor.

Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or a party, This dish a must-try for every home. It has the perfect balance of savory, smoky, and fruity flavors for a truly delightful meal for everyone.

Once you taste Gizdodo, you won’t be able to get enough of chicken gizzards. You can infuse them with a peppery flavor while giving them a sweet touch with the peppers. Wait until you try it for yourself!

How to Make Gizdodo

Are you running out of ways to cook chicken gizzards? Try Gizdodo recipe to give chicken gizzards a whole new flavor. It’s also made better with spices, bell peppers, and an awesome pepper sauce you can make at home.

Let me share everything you need to know to cook the best Gizdodo!

Ingredients

Take a look at what you need to buy to cook the Gizdodo recipe:

Chicken gizzard 

While the chicken gizzard is not one of the commonly used chicken parts, give it a try to know how good it tastes.

The chicken gizzard is the part of the chicken that helps it eat, process, and digest food. It is essentially an important part of the stomach of the chicken. Therefore, it is one of the organ meats of the chicken that you can use for recipes.

Cooking the chicken gizzard can make it taste like dark meat – savory and smoky. You will also experience how soft, tender, and chewy it can be. In fact, there are also health benefits you can expect from chicken gizzard.

Don’t miss out on the wonderful flavor and health benefits you can get from chicken gizzards. Do you have leftover gizzards? You can cook them into Chicken Gizzard Stew, Fried Chicken Gizzards, or Dodo Gizzard Stick Meat, too!

Plantains

Take the chicken gizzards to a whole new level with plantains. These fruits will add a sweet and starchy flavor to the dish. For the best results, use ripe plantains for easy and quick cooking.

The plantains will complement the dark meat flavor of the chicken gizzards. They will also taste well with the pepper sauce and mixed bell peppers. If you love Fried Plantains, then you will love them more in this recipe.

Onion 

The onion serves several purposes in the Gizdodo recipe. First, it will add flavor and aroma to the gizzard as you cook it. You will also need the onion to make the pepper sauce that coats the gizzards.

Its pungent and spicy flavor will surely make the Gizdodo taste better. The onion is widely used in other African recipes like Jollof Rice, Fried Pepper Stew, and Egusi Soup!

Bell peppers

Make your Gizdodo stand out with fresh bell peppers. Instead of using it to make the sauce, you will add it as a garnish. You will need red, green, and yellow bell peppers for a blender of sweet, fruity, and vegetal flavors.

The bell peppers will also add an awesome aroma and color to the dish. You will feel how soft yet crunchy they are once you bite into the Gizdodo.

Tomato plum 

Tomato plum adds something sweet and sour to the dish. Its vibrant color also blends well with the sauce and bell peppers.

Seasoning 

One of the secrets to the best Gizdodo is the seasoning. Using the right herbs and spices can make a big difference in your dish. In this recipe, I suggest using stock cubes, thyme, curry powder and salt to season.

You can also expect the chicken gizzard stock at add so much more flavor to the meat. These flavoring agents will certainly improve the overall quality of the dish.

Sunflower oil 

To fry the plantains and the Gizdodo, I suggest using sunflower oil. It has a high smoke point that can cook the dish properly without changing its flavor. In fact, the sunflower oil might add more flavor to the Gizdodo.

Now you know that you can make Gizdodo with simple food you can find at home. Put all of these together and you’ve got yourself a meal that everyone will always look forward to!

Directions

Let me show you how to cook Gizdodo:

Chicken gizzards

1. Place the pot of the properly rinsed gizzards on medium heat.
2. Then, add water, onions, curry powder, thyme, stock cubes, and salt, and mix with a spatula.
3. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.
4. Finally, drain the gizzard stock. 

Sauce

1. Chop the tomatoes, scotch bonnet, and onion using a knife. 
2. Use a blender to make the sauce.

Plantains

1. Cut out the ends of the plantain, peel it, and slice it into small cubes. 
2. Then, place a pot on medium heat and pour oil. 
3. Fry the plantain cubes in batches.
4. Stir with a spatula.
5. Set it aside. 

Gizdodo

1. Deep fry the cooked gizzards in a pot until crispy.
2. Remove them from the oil and set the oil aside.
3. Place a pot on medium heat and pour some oil from deep frying.
4. Add the sauce to cook.
5. Then, season it with thyme, curry powder, and gizzard stock.
6. Cover and leave the cook for ten minutes. 
7. Add the fried gizzards to the sauce.
8. Let it cook for a few more minutes.
9. Toss in the fried plantains and the mixed bell peppers.
10. Finally, leave to cook over low heat for two minutes and serve!

If you want to relish an amazing Nigerian Gizdodo recipe, then this is one of the best dishes to try!

Tips

Chicken gizzard

Buying chicken gizzard

• Chicken gizzards are usually sold at your local butcher.
• There are also commercial gizzards that you can try. 

Storing chicken gizzard

• Store gizzards in a resealable bag and refrigerate them to use within two days.
• These can also be frozen to last up to several months.

Plantains

Buying plantains

• Ripe plantains are yellow and black in color.
• Moreover, the darker it is, the sweeter it will taste. 

Storing plantains

• Refrigerate or freeze the ripe plantains in an airtight container or resealable bag.

Bell peppers

Buying bell peppers

• Choose bell peppers with shiny, clear, and unblemished skin.
• They should also feel heavy for their size. 

Storing bell peppers

• Room-temperature bell peppers can last up to several days.
• Refrigerate the bell peppers to extend their shelf life to more than a week.

Tomato plum

Buying tomato plum

• Tomatoes should have glossy and clear skin.
• They should also feel heavy for their size, and they must feel firm to the touch.
• These should also have a sweet aroma near the stem. 

Storing tomato plum

• Store whole tomatoes at room temperature, and as they ripen, you can also refrigerate them in your crisper drawer.

No-Blender Gizdodo Sauce

If you don’t have access to a blender, then you can use a food processor, a grater, a mortar and pestle, or any other similar tools to make the sauce.

Alternatively, finely chop the sauce elements but note that the texture will not be smooth as when you blend it.

Gizdodo Recipe Variations

The classic Gizdodo recipe but there are other ways that you can make it fun.

For instance, instead of using chicken gizzards, you can also try turkey gizzards for a new flavor and quality. When you want to taste a kick of spice, just add scotch bonnet or chili flakes.

Aside from plantains and bell peppers, you can also add carrots, green beans, peas, and more. Use your favorite herbs and spices to give it a flavor that best suits your preference and taste.

For a vegan Gizdodo, you can swap the gizzard with plant-based alternatives like tofu and mushrooms. You will still taste an umami and rich flavor even without the chicken gizzards.

Another good meat option is beef – it intensifies the smoky and savory flavors of the Gizdodo. In fact, you can even use other parts of the chicken like chicken breast or thighs to cook this dish.

In case you don’t like plantains, then you can replace it with yams or sweet potatoes for a similar starchy and sweet flavor. You’ll never run out of ways to cook Gizdodo at home!

Recommended Tools

• Pot: Cook the Gizdodo in a pot.
• Blender: Use a blender to make the sauce. 
• Knife: Peel and slice the ingredients using a knife.
• Spatula: Stir the dish with a spatula.
• Strainer: Drain the oil from the plantains and gizzards using a strainer. 

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How to Serve Gizdodo

When is the best time to enjoy the Gizdodo?

I usually serve the Gizdodo for lunch or dinner for a hearty and filling meal for everyone. It can be the main dish, an appetizer, or even a side dish to make a fantastic dining experience.

You can serve this savory meal with the following dishes:

• Jollof Rice
• Fried Rice
• Moi Moi
• Bulgur Wheat
• Fried Yam
• Yam

Meanwhile, the best drinks for Gizdodo include those with a sweet taste, such as:

• Clementine Passion Fruit Juice
• Iced Tea
• Zobo Drink
• Carrot Juice
• Pomegranate Juice

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Eat the Gizdodo within two to four hours, especially while it’s still hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gizdodo made of?

The traditional Gizdodo is made of chicken gizzards, plantains, pepper sauce, mix bell peppers, and spices. With these, the dish will have a perfect balance of savory, smoky, meaty, sweet, and starchy flavors.

What is the origin of Gizdodo?

Gizdodo is a classic delicacy that came from Nigeria. Back then, it was served with yams, chips, or rice for parties and occasions. Even today, the Gizdodo remains to be a popular dish that everyone loves.

Is Dodo a plantain?

Yes, the dodo is a plantain. In fact, it is fried plantain, to be exact. You can cook dodo with a ripe plantain to unleash its sweet and starchy quality. It truly puts the “dodo” in Gizdodo!

How do you eat chicken gizzards?

There are many ways to cook and enjoy chicken gizzards. You can deep fry, air fry, bake, roast, or even stew it to give it the best flavor. Some of my favorite chicken gizzard recipes include Chicken Gizzard Stew, Fried Chicken Gizzards, and Dodo Gizzard Stick Meat.