The soul of suya is yaji — the spice mix built around ground roasted peanuts, chili and aromatics. Make it yourself and you can control the heat. Slice the beef thin so it cooks fast and picks up maximum char and spice.
Ingredients
- 700 g (1½ lb) beef sirloin, thinly sliced
- Yaji: 1 cup roasted peanuts (or peanut powder)
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika · 1 tbsp cayenne (to taste)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder · 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger · 1 stock cube · 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil · sliced onion, tomato, lime to serve
Method
- Blitz the roasted peanuts to a fine powder (pulse — don't make peanut butter). Blot off excess oil with a paper towel.
- Mix the peanut powder with the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, crushed stock cube and salt. This is your yaji.
- Toss the thinly sliced beef with the oil, then coat generously in most of the yaji (reserve some for serving). Let it rest 20 minutes.
- Thread onto skewers. Grill over high heat (or a very hot grill pan / broiler) for a few minutes per side until charred and just cooked — thin beef cooks fast.
- Dust with the reserved yaji and serve hot with sliced raw onion, tomato and a squeeze of lime.
🔥 Blot the peanut powder
Ground peanuts release oil that can make yaji clump and burn. Press the powder between paper towels before mixing — you want a dry, dusty spice rub that crusts on the meat.