How to Make Suya Spice

Suya are African shish kebabs that consist of roasted meat coated with a spicy peanut rub. Throughout West African, suya street vendors are a common sight in both the cities and villages. You can find them grilling skewered meat over open pits from late morning until after midnight. Beef is the most common suya, although chicken and veal are also popular.

Things You'll Need

• Finely ground roasted peanuts
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• Salt
• Ground ginger
• Onion powder

Instructions

1. Shell fresh peanuts and place them on a shallow baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes in a 350-degree F oven. Cool the peanuts between layers of paper towels to remove any excess oil.

2. Grind the cooled roasted peanuts into a powder. Use a mortar and pestle, or place the peanuts in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or use a food processor.

3. Squeeze the ground peanuts in a paper towel for one or two minutes to remove excess oil.

4. Put the peanut powder in a mixing bowl. Add the other spices to taste. Add more cayenne pepper for a spicier suya. Leave out the cayenne pepper and add more paprika for a milder suya. Mix the spices thoroughly.

5. Divide the spice mixture in half. Cut 1 to 2 lbs. of meat into bite-sized chunks. Roll the meat into the suya until it is coated on all sides. Let the coated meat rest for 30 minutes so that the spices can permeate it.

6. Start the grill or preheat the broiler. Place the meat on skewers. Alternate with pieces of onion, green and red pepper and plumb tomato. Cook the meat until done. Make sure that chicken is cooked thoroughly.

7. Serve the meat with the reserved half of the suya.

Tips & Warnings

• Take care not to grind the peanuts to a paste.

• Discard the suya that was used with the raw meat.