Suya is a Nigerian kebab made with thinly sliced meat and peanut-based toppings. It is traditionally served without vegetables and coated with a spicy peanut powder. The meat is cut into thin strips and skewered before grilling. Wooden skewers should be soaked in water before use to prevent burning.
Suya is an African kebab consisting of thinly sliced meat and peanut-based toppings. It is a staple of Nigerian cuisine. Served by town and village vendors, the suya is also often found at night.
Shish kebab refers to any skewered and roasted meat. There are many variations of shish kebab around the world, but Americans and other nationalities are generally used to alternating diced pieces of meat with fruits and vegetables. While vegetables can be successfully added to a suya recipe, the traditional food only includes meat. Additionally, the meat — beef, more often than not — is cut into short, thin strips rather than cubes, which more closely resemble Asian skewered meat.
Suya tastes a bit similar to Asian beef, however. The meat is always coated with peanut powder before grilling. This powder contains ground peanuts, called kulikuli in Nigeria and cayenne pepper and may also contain paprika powder, onion or garlic and ground ginger. When preparing this dish at home, the paprika can be substituted for cayenne pepper to create a less spicy suya.
To make the spicy rub, roasted peanuts need to be ground into a powder. This can be done with a traditional mortar and pestle or with more modern appliances, such as a food processor or spice mill. When grinding peanuts, be careful not to over-grind, which will create peanut butter. The resulting oil is usually removed by wrapping the powder in a paper towel and squeezing to remove any moisture.
Once the peanuts are ground, the other spices are mixed thoroughly. The meat is then covered with the dough. Some recipes suggest letting the meat rest for about half an hour once coated before grilling it to better flavor the meat. While many recipes call for just the skewered meat, onions, peppers, or tomatoes can also be included.
If wooden skewers are used, they should be soaked in water for half an hour before skewering the meat, or the ends should be wrapped in foil after the meat has been skewered. These precautions help prevent the wooden skewers from burning during cooking. Once skewered, the kebabs are either placed on outdoor racks or grilled in an oven. They should be turned once during cooking. Some recipes also suggest reserving some of the peanut-spice mixture for extra seasoning once the meat is cooked through.
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