Suya — West African Spiced Skewers

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Steak, sliced thin against the grain
• Suya spice (yaji): ⅓ cup roasted peanuts ground fine + 1 tbsp paprika + 2 tsp ginger powder + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp bouillon powder
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• Red onion and tomato, sliced, to serve
• Skewers

Method

1. Grind the yaji: peanuts blitzed to coarse powder (stop before peanut butter!) with all the spices. This blend IS suya — taste it; it should tingle.
2. Toss the Steak slices with the oil, then dredge through the yaji, pressing so it crusts. Reserve a spoonful of spice for serving.
3. Thread onto skewers, ribbon-style.
4. Grill or broil on high, 3–4 minutes per side, until charred at the edges and cooked through (145°F + rest for beef sliced thin). The peanut crust should toast, not blacken — watch it like a hawk owes you money.
5. Serve with raw onion and tomato, extra yaji dusted over. Lagos street corners perfected this; the smell alone recruits neighbors.