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EveryMasala

Rubs and barbecue

Suya spice (yaji)

The groundnut and chilli rub of Hausa suya, the roadside grilled meat of northern Nigeria.

Yaji is the Hausa name for the hot spice mix used to coat suya, thin slices of beef, chicken or ram skewered and grilled over fire. It is based on roasted groundnut, ground chilli, ginger, onion and garlic powders.

What goes in

Roasted groundnut: 33%33%Cayenne or chilli: 20%20%Ginger: 13%13%Paprika: 13%13%Onion powder: 7%Garlic powder: 7%Selim pod: 7%15parts

Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.

Made step by step

Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.

  1. Step 1: Toast Roast the groundnuts and rub off the skins.
  2. Step 2: Grind Grind them to a coarse powder without making butter.
  3. Step 3: Toast Toast the selim pod and grind it if using.
  4. Step 4: Blend Mix with the chilli, ginger, paprika, onion and garlic.
  5. Step 5: Rest Toss sliced meat with oil and a layer of the mix and rest it.
  6. Step 6: Store Store the dry mix in a closed jar.
  7. Roasted groundnut: 33%33%Cayenne or chilli: 20%20%Ginger: 13%13%Paprika: 13%13%Onion powder: 7%Garlic powder: 7%Selim pod: 7%
    Finished Suya spice (yaji), by share.

Street food

Suya sellers, often at night, slice and spice the meat to order and wrap it in paper with raw onion and tomato. Yaji is also sold in small pouches in markets and shops.

The blend

Kuli kuli, pressed roasted groundnut cake, is ground to a powder and mixed with chilli, ginger, paprika, onion and garlic powder, salt and a stock cube in some recipes. Grains of selim, a smoky pod, are traditional in some.

Where it is used

Suya beefChicken suyaGrilled fishRoasted plantain

The spices in it

Grains of SelimSmoky pod.GingerWarm.Chili pepperThe pungent berry of the Capsicum plant, used to add heat to dishes worldwide.GingerThe pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.PaprikaA red powder made from dried Capsicum annuum peppers, used to colour and flavour dishes across Europe and the Middle Eas

Also part of it, and being written: Peanut (Body.).

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Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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