Suya spice — yaji — is one of the world's great dry rub blends. Built on ground roasted peanuts as the fat-rich base, with layers of ginger, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and guinea pepper (grains of Selim), it is applied to thin-sliced meat before grilling and dusted again on the finished skewers as a dry finishing coat. This double application — wet rub before, dry dusting after — produces a bark on the exterior of the meat that is uniquely satisfying. This post covers the suya spice recipe in full and its applications beyond just beef skewers.
Making Yaji From Scratch
Commercial yaji is available at African grocery stores but making it fresh produces a significantly better result. The peanuts must be raw, roasted (either in a dry pan or 180°C oven for 12 minutes), cooled, and then ground to a dry powder — not a paste. A food processor on pulse produces the right texture. The peanut powder is mixed with all other spice powders and dried at low oven heat before use to extend shelf life.
Makes 150g yaji · Prep 20 min
Ingredients
- 100g raw peanuts, roasted and ground to dry powder
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground guinea pepper (grains of Selim) or black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Dry-roast peanuts in a pan or oven until golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
- Grind roasted peanuts in a food processor to a dry powder. Do not over-process into paste.
- Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Spread on a baking sheet. Dry in oven at 100°C for 20 minutes.
- Cool and store in an airtight jar up to 3 months.
- To use as marinade: mix 3 tbsp yaji with 1 tbsp groundnut oil and 1 tbsp water.
- Rub on sliced beef, chicken, or vegetables. Marinate 2 hours. Grill on high heat.
Applications Beyond Beef
- Suya chicken wings — coat in yaji paste, grill until charred
- Suya mushrooms — coat large portobello in yaji oil, grill 5 min per side
- Suya seasoned groundnuts — toss peanuts with yaji, toast in oven
- Suya grilled fish — tilapia or snapper rubbed in yaji and grilled whole
What is guinea pepper (grains of Selim)?
A West African spice from the Xylopia aethiopica tree — elongated pods with an earthy, slightly menthol, resinous flavour. It is the ingredient that makes yaji authentically Nigerian. Available at African grocery stores.
How fine should the peanut be ground?
Dry powder, not paste. Stop grinding the moment it starts to clump. If it forms a paste, the oils are releasing — the suya will burn rather than form a bark.
Can I buy yaji ready-made?
Yes — African grocery stores sell it. The commercial version often has MSG and sometimes artificial colours. Homemade is superior.
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