Making And Using Restaurant-Quality Suya Spice At Home

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Suya spice is a unique blend of spices and ingredients that is typically used in Nigerian cuisine. If you've ever dined at an African or Nigerian restaurant, you've probably enjoyed suya spice on grilled meats and fish. With a little time, a few ingredients, and ingenuity, you can make and use restaurant-quality suya spice at home! Here's how.

Making the Suya Spice

Making suya spice is easier than you might think. All you really have to do is mix a bunch of spices together. The secret, however, lies in making sure all of those spices are high-quality and potent. Buy them freshly-ground when possible, or at least buy them from a quality spice provider rather than from the grocery store's discount section.

To make about a cup of suya spice, you'll need:

  • 3/4 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon powdered chicken bullion
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place the peanuts in a food processor, and chop until they are finely ground, but not pasty. Dump them out into a bowl, and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well to combine. Transfer your mixture to a sealed glass or plastic container for storage.

Using the Suya Spice

The most traditional way to use suya spice is to coat your meat before grilling it. The spice blend works with pork, beef, or chicken, and even with firmer fish. Apply a light coating of neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil, to the meat or fish. Then, sprinkle on the suya spice. You can use as much or as little as you like, but a tablespoon per 4 ounces of meat is a good starting point. This means you'll need about 2 tablespoons for the average 8-ounce steak. Grill the meat as desired, and enjoy.

You can also use the suya spice to season any vegetables you want to eat before roasting. Coat the sliced veggies with oil, and then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the spice mixture over them. Roast at 350 degrees F to avoid scorching the peanuts. If you want, you can drizzle the veggies with a little honey before serving them.

Suya spice is a hallmark component of Nigerian cooking, and it's so enjoyable when you're able to make your own. Follow the instructions above, and you'll feel like you're eating a restaurant meal. Or, if you wanted to buy suya spice first, check out local African restaurants near you.

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13 July 2021

How to Save Money When Eating Out

Welcome to my website. My name is Joanne Taylor. My family and I love eating out at restaurants, but with there being five of us, it can get expensive. In order to be able to continue to indulge in the luxury of eating at restaurants, my husband and I have come up with ways to order and save money. We always thought that ordering kids meals for young children was the cheapest way to go. But we found in many cases, it’s less expensive to order one regular meal and let our two youngest children split it. We make use of coupons whenever possible, restaurant daily specials, early bird specials, and other money savers. I’m going to share some of the ways we’ve been creative in the hope that you will find some useful tips.