Suya Spice

Suya is a beloved West African street food tradition originating in Northern Nigeria, centred on skewers of spiced and grilled meat. The spice blend - called yaji - is the dish's defining element: ground peanuts (or groundnut cake) combined with ginger, garlic, paprika, cayenne, and various local spices. The result is a complex, nutty, warming dry rub that develops a magnificent crust when seared at high heat. On this show, Keith Corbin applied suya spice to seared scallops, demonstrating that the blend's versatility extends far beyond its traditional beef applications. 

For home cooks, suya spice is increasingly available in African speciality markets and online, or can be assembled from groundnut cake, ginger, smoked paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder.