The taste of this popular West African street food is epic! Suya, Nigerian beef kebabs, are seasoned with spicy peanut sauce and grilled to perfection.
It's not quite the grilling season in Northern Indiana. Mornings are still frosty and days barely break above 40F, but the robins are back and their cheerful chirping can only mean that spring is darn near.
If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with genealogy and on a quest to find everything there is to find about my ancestors. Interestingly enough, my DNA test revealed that I'm 1% Nigerian.
So I asked my Nigerian-born "cousin" Colin, aka The Simple Cook, what his favorite dish is and he said suya, of course.
Suya has become a Nigerian national dish with different regions that claim the superiority of their recipe and methods of preparation, but similar grilled meat recipes are common in many West African countries.
The classical suya is made with 'kulikuli' powder, a locally made roasted peanut cake in which they remove the most of the peanut oil. A good substitute is peanut butter powder.
However, I adapted the recipe from Kitchen Butterfly and marinated the beef in homemade peanut sauce. I suppose you could simplify the recipe by using peanut butter and thin it out to a paste consistency.
If you know me, you also know I have almost zero patience. No way I was going to wait until BBQ season to make suya. Or bake it in the oven. Nope, I fired up my grill and flamed these babies like nobody's business.
You guys, my 1% Nigerian and the rest 99% ethnicities absolutely love this beef dish. Surprisingly, it doesn't taste peanutty (legit word). But peanuts should get the credit for these unique and incredibly tasty kebabs.
Suya can be served with jollof rice, which reminds me of our djuvec rice, or fresh chopped tomatoes and onions. Thanks to my cuz Colin for introducing suya flavor to our palate. It's a must-have food item for your next cookout!
Ingredients:
- top sirloin steak (or chuck roast or ribeye)
- unsalted peanuts
- vegetable oil
- ground ginger
- cayenne or selim pepper
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- sweet paprika
- lime juice
- Salt
Directions:
- In a food processor, grind the peanuts into a fine powder (scrape the sides with a spatula to loosen the sticking nuts). Drizzle in the oil and blend until you get a thick, creamy consistency.
- Stir the spices into the peanut paste, mixing well. For really spicy hot suya, use more cayenne pepper. Adjust as required.
- Cut meat against the grain into very thin and flat slices. If your cut of meat is not thick enough, you may cut it into chunks instead.
- Dip and roll the meat in the peanut-spice mix, making sure the meat is completely coated. Allow meat to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
- Place the meat strips on skewers. Grill, turning once until meat is done, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, broil or bake in a 400 F hot oven until done.
Nigerian Beef Suya Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound top sirloin steak or chuck roast or ribeye
- ⅓ cup roasted unsalted peanuts skinned
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cayenne or selim pepper adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, grind the peanuts into a fine powder (scrape the sides with a spatula to loosen the sticking nuts). Drizzle in the oil and blend until you get a thick, creamy consistency.
- Stir the spices into the peanut paste, mixing well. For really spicy hot suya, use more cayenne pepper. Adjust as required.
- Cut meat against the grain into very thin and flat slices. If your cut of meat is not thick enough, you may cut it into chunks instead.
- Dip and roll the meat in the peanut-spice mix, making sure the meat is completely coated. Allow meat to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
- Place the meat strips on skewers. Grill, turning once until meat is done, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, broil or bake in a 400 F hot oven until done.
Expert Tips
- Partially freeze the meat for at least 30 minutes before cutting. It makes it easier to slice into thin strips.
- If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.
Amanda says
These were SO good! I’m so glad we made them to go with the rice!
Jas says
Hi, Amanda! I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for giving it a try and for stopping in! 🙂
Mary says
Jas this looks like something my kids would love! They are obsessed with Kebabs, wonder why?
Jas says
LOL, I can't blame them, Mary! 😀