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Suya Pepper

Also known as Suya Pepper (Dry Pepper Blend for Finishing)

Suya Pepper is the simpler, drier, finishing spice blend dusted generously over freshly cooked Suya just before serving — distinct from the Yaji marinade paste applied to the raw meat before grilling. The finishing Suya Pepper is a coarser, drier mixture of ground crayfish, ground Cameroon pepper, ground ginger, onion powder and salt that provides the characteristic final blast of flavour and the visible coating that defines the appearance of great Nigerian street Suya.

Suya Pepper, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish — the primary flavour
  • 2 big big tablespoons of ground Cameroon pepper
  • 1 big tablespoon of ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika — for colour
  • Half a teaspoon of ground selim pepper (uda) — for aromatic depth
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Method

  1. 01

    Combining All Dry Ingredients. Place all dry ingredients in a wide bowl. Mix very thoroughly with a spoon until completely uniform. The Suya Pepper should be a slightly reddish-brown colour, deeply fragrant and very dry.

  2. 02

    Taste-Testing. Take a tiny pinch and taste. Adjust as needed — more Cameroon pepper for more heat, more crayfish for deeper seafood umami, more ginger for more warmth.

  3. 03

    Sieving — Optional. For a very fine, even texture, pass through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.

More traditional sauces