In brief
- Suya is a skewer of thinly sliced beef, marinated in yaji, a spice blend based on ground roasted peanuts
- Origin: the Hausa people of northern Nigeria
- Essential ingredients: beef, roasted peanuts, ginger, chilli, paprika, onion and garlic powder
- Context: an iconic street food, grilled and sold at stalls called mai suya
Origins and cultural history of suya
Suya is associated with the Hausa people of northern Nigeria, traditionally prepared and sold grilled by street vendors called mai suya or mai tsire. It has spread throughout West Africa and beyond, carried in particular by Hausa and Fulani communities also present in Niger and Cameroon.
The name yaji refers to the dry spice blend that coats the meat before cooking. There is no fixed recipe: each vendor keeps their own proportion of ground roasted peanuts, chilli, ginger and other dried spices, which explains the many variants of the dish from one stall to another.
What are the essential ingredients of suya
The suya marinade, yaji, always combines ground roasted peanuts with dried spices; the meat is thinly sliced to cook quickly over the coals.
- beef (or lamb, chicken)
- roasted peanuts, ground
- ginger powder
- chilli powder
- paprika
- onion and garlic powder
- stock powder
What to know about suya
Suya is a skewer of thinly sliced beef, marinated in yaji, a dry spice blend based on ground roasted peanuts, ginger, chili, paprika, and onion and garlic powder. A street dish of the Hausa people in northern Nigeria, it is grilled over embers and sold by the mai suya, the suya vendors. Each vendor keeps their own proportion of peanut and spices, which explains the many variations from one stall to another.
Frequently asked questions about suya
Which meat should be used for suya?
Beef is the most common meat, in thin slices of fillet or rump steak, but suya is also made with lamb, chicken or offal, always thinly cut to cook quickly over the coals.
Can yaji be made without hot chilli?
Yes, reduce or leave out the chilli powder: yaji keeps its toasted, savoury taste thanks to the peanuts, ginger and stock, even without the traditional heat.
Where can I find the ingredients for suya in France?
NKOSI sells the roasted peanuts, ginger powder, ground hot chilli, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and beef stock used in this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
