1
Make the yaji spice
Combine groundnut powder, cayenne, ginger, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Toast the groundnuts in a dry pan first for deeper flavour.
Nigeria | Snack
Suya
Nigerian suya, thin beef skewers coated in yaji, the smoky Hausa spice blend of kuli-kuli, chile, ginger, onion, garlic, and salt.
Country
Nigeria
Region
West Africa
Time
65 min
Serves
4
Level
easy
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Suya should be sliced thin enough to cook fast, but not so thin that it dries out. The final shower of yaji is part of the dish.
What the dish tastes like
Nigerian suya, thin beef skewers coated in yaji, the smoky Hausa spice blend of kuli-kuli, chile, ginger, onion, garlic, and salt.
When to cook it
Best for Evening snack and street food, with a easy cooking level and about 65 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Raw onion, tomato, cabbage, cucumber, extra yaji, or jollof rice
Follow the collection
Street Food is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. Street Food
Regional lane
Northern Nigerian table. Hausa and northern dishes built around grains, rice swallows, dried spices, groundnut, baobab leaves, and street foods.
Chef watch-outs
- Skipping the resting time after grilling.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
How you know it is ready
- The surface should be deeply colored while the center stays juicy.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Pantry lane
palm oil, crayfish, iru or ogiri, scotch bonnet, melon seed
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Suya
Raw onion, tomato, cabbage, cucumber, extra yaji, or jollof rice
Best route from here
Northern Nigerian table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
65 min total
easy
2
Prepare the meat
Thread thinly sliced beef onto wooden skewers. Brush with oil and coat generously with yaji spice on all sides.
Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning.
3
Marinate
Let coated skewers rest for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Marinate
30:00
4
Grill the suya
Grill over high charcoal heat, turning every 2-3 minutes, until charred on edges but juicy inside. About 8-10 minutes total.
Grill suya
10:00
5
Serve
Sprinkle extra yaji spice over the grilled suya. Serve with sliced onions, tomatoes, and fresh cabbage.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.