Enjoy a Nigerian Suya

Nigerian Suya is a popular street food that originated from the northern region of Nigeria and has gained widespread popularity throughout the country. It consists of skewered and grilled meat, typically beef, that is marinated in a flavorful spice blend and then cooked over an open flame or charcoal grill.

The key element of a Nigerian Suya lies in its unique spice mix, which imparts a distinct and robust flavor to the meat. The spice blend, known as Suya spice or Yaji, combines various aromatic spices and ground peanuts, creating a balance of heat, smokiness, and nuttiness.

The preparation of Nigerian Suya involves the following steps:

1. Meat Selection: Beef is the most commonly used meat for Suya, and cuts like sirloin or flank steak work well due to their tenderness. The meat is usually sliced into thin strips, ensuring that it cooks evenly and quickly.
2. Suya Spice Mix: The Suya spice mix is made by combining ground peanuts (or peanut butter), ginger, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, black pepper, and salt. The ground peanuts give Suya its distinctive nutty flavor. The proportions of the spices can be adjusted to personal preference, allowing for variations in spiciness and flavor intensity.
3. Marinating the Meat: The meat strips are generously coated with the Suya spice mix, ensuring that each piece is thoroughly seasoned. The spice mix is pressed onto the meat to enhance its adhesion and to infuse the flavors. The marinating time can vary from 30 minutes to overnight, depending on how much time is available to allow the flavors to develop.
4. Skewering and Grilling: The marinated meat strips are threaded onto skewers, either metal or soaked wooden skewers, with each strip pierced through the middle. The skewers help in even cooking and easy handling. The Suya skewers are then placed on a hot grill or open flame, where they are cooked over medium-high heat. The meat is turned occasionally to achieve an even char and to prevent burning. Basting the skewers with a little vegetable oil during grilling helps to keep the meat moist and enhances its flavor.
5. Serving: Once the Nigerian Suya is cooked to the desired level of doneness, it is removed from the grill and allowed to rest for a few minutes. The Suya skewers are typically served hot, either as a standalone dish or with accompaniments like sliced onions, tomatoes, and cabbage. Suya is often enjoyed with sides such as sliced bread, roasted peanuts, or yaji seasoning.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds (700g) beef steak (preferably sirloin or flank)
• Suya spice mix:
  • 4 tablespoons ground peanuts (or peanut butter)
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons ground paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper (adjust according to your spice preference)
  • 1 tablespoon ground garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ground onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• Vegetable oil for basting
• Skewers (wooden or metal, soaked in water if using wooden skewers)

Preparation:

1. Prepare the Suya spice mix by combining ground peanuts, ginger, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine all the spices. This spice mix is the key to the distinctive flavor of Suya.
2. Slice the beef steak into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick. The strips should be long enough to thread onto the skewers easily.
3. Thread the beef strips onto the skewers, making sure to pierce each piece through the middle. Repeat until all the meat is skewered.
4. Sprinkle the Suya spice mix generously over the meat skewers, coating them on all sides. Gently press the spice mix into the meat to ensure good adhesion. Let the skewers marinate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally, refrigerate them overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Preheat your grill or barbecue to medium-high heat.
6. Brush the grill grates with a little vegetable oil to prevent the meat from sticking.
7. Place the Suya skewers on the preheated grill and cook for about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat and your desired level of doneness. Suya is traditionally cooked medium-rare to medium.
8. While grilling, baste the skewers with vegetable oil using a brush. This helps to keep the meat moist and enhances the smoky flavor.
9. Once the Suya skewers are cooked to your preference, remove them from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes.
10. Serve the Suya skewers hot, optionally garnished with sliced onions, tomatoes, and cabbage. Suya is often enjoyed with sides like sliced bread, roasted peanuts, or yaji (a powdered seasoning similar to Suya spice mix).

Suya can be quite spicy, so adjust the amount of cayenne pepper or chili powder to suit your taste. Also, if using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for about 30 minutes before threading the meat to prevent them from burning on the grill.