Steps

1. Cut 1/2 leek in half lengthwise, then thinly slice diagonally.
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2. Place the sliced leek in a bowl and add enough water to cover generously to remove its sharpness.
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3. Separate the hearts from the livers and roughly trim off the yellow fat.
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4. Cut the hearts in half lengthwise and scrape out any blood clots inside with a paper towel or knife.
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5. Cut the livers in half and roughly remove excess connective tissues.
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6. Cut the livers into bite-sized pieces. Keep in mind they will shrink slightly when cooked.
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7. Thoroughly remove any blood clots from the cut surfaces of the livers.
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8. Lightly rinse the livers and hearts under running water to wash away surface dirt and blood clots. Be careful not to over-wash; repeat 3-4 times. Tip: Fresh livers are not very gamey, so special pre-treatment like soaking in milk is unnecessary. A simple rinse to remove surface and internal blood clots is sufficient.
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9. Thoroughly pat dry the washed livers and hearts with paper towels placed on a plate.
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10. Cut the gizzards in half. Do not remove the silver skin, as it contributes to texture.
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11. Finely chop the silver skin of the gizzards to cut them into smaller pieces.
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12. In a cold pan (before turning on the heat), combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp cooking sake (rice wine), 3 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), 2 tbsp sugar, and 50cc water. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
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13. Add the pre-treated chicken livers and gizzards to the simmering sauce.
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14. Increase heat to medium-high and bring back to a simmer, stirring gently.
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15. Once simmering, cover with a piece of kitchen paper as a lid (otoshibuta), reduce heat to low, and cook for 4 minutes. Tip: Using kitchen paper as a lid makes skimming off scum easy as impurities stick to the paper.
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16. After 4 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the kitchen paper lid, and discard the liquid by squeezing it out.
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17. Temporarily remove the cooked livers and gizzards from the pan. Tip: Overcooking livers can cause them to become gamey or dry. Removing them temporarily helps maintain the correct level of doneness.
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18. Return the cooking liquid to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
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19. Simmer until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency, then reduce heat to low once it starts to thicken. Tip: Be careful not to over-reduce, as it can burn. If you're unsure about the consistency, reduce the heat further and simmer slowly.
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20. Once the sauce has thickened properly, return the reserved livers and gizzards to the pan and coat them evenly with the sauce.
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21. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small amount of water to adjust. Do not add more soy sauce, as it will increase the saltiness.
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22. Once the sauce is evenly coated and the liquid has mostly evaporated, it's ready. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the drained leek. Tip: To prevent the livers from becoming tough by over-soaking in the sauce, cook them partially first, then coat them in a concentrated sauce at the end. This is the key to a delicious result.
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