Suya
Helen Graves' suya recipe is a brilliant way to impress your barbecue guests. Suya is identified by a particular spice blend – known as yaji – which is rubbed all over the beef before barbecuing. The contents of yaji vary all over West Africa, but Helen goes for a typical version that includes scotch bonnet powder, cumin, paprika, grains of Selim, cloves and peanuts.
Suya is a traditional method of West African barbecue originating from the people of the Hausa tribe, one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. It is a dish of grilled beef (or other meats) which are rubbed with a spice mixture called yaji, thought to have powerful, invigorating properties.
There are many different combinations of spices which can make up a yaji, but do try to find the grains of Selim, or uda pods, which are available online or in African grocery shops. It’s also important to serve some of the yaji alongside the finished skewers, with sliced tomatoes and onions.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Yaji
- 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 5 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp scotch bonnet powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 9 uda pods, also known as grains of Selim
- 9 cloves
- 20g of peanuts
- salt, two large pinches
Beef
- 500g of rump steak, sliced into thin strips
Equipment
- Spice grinder
- Blender
- Skewers 4
Method
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