Author’s Note: This is an educational culinary guide exploring traditional Nigerian popular food combinations and preparation methods.
Nigerian Street Food: Suya — The King of Nigerian Street Food
Today I am going to talk about Nigerian street food. One thing about Nigerian street food is that it has its time of day when you can see it sold on the street, and apart from that particular time, you can never see it until the same time the next day. Maybe depending on location — yes, I guess location does matter in some cases. Let us take a look at the first on my list: SUYA.
Suya (Spicy Grilled Meat) — The King of Nigerian Street Food
What Is Suya?
This is the first question so many people will ask, yet the answer is right in front of them. In Nigeria it is SUYA, while in the diaspora it is known as grilled meat. Let us look at the street definition and what is widely known in other parts of the world. I put my own definition as the educated people's definition and the uneducated people's definition.
Educated People's Definition: Suya is grilled skewered meat coated in a spicy peanut-based powder called yaji. It originates from the Hausa people of Northern Nigeria but is loved nationwide.
Uneducated People's Definition: Suya is the vibe of the nightlife. It is what makes a woman thick, and it brings that juicy taste with lots of grease dropping from your chin. In short, it is known as Suya na be the Koko (Suya is the main thing).
Suya has been our way of life since even before Nigeria gained her independence. To be honest, there is no street in Nigeria where Suya is not sold, and this has been the cheapest vibe to take a girl on a date. You can confirm my words in one of my stories titled *The Girl Who Stopped Traffic*.
Cultural Significance
Street food staple, sold by Mai Suya (Suya sellers) at night, often with roasted onions, tomatoes, fresh pepper, cucumber, and cabbage too. To be honest, anywhere there is a Suya stand, just know the nightlife in that area is a blast. Na there the Koko dey happen (That is where the main thing is taking place). Pardon my Pidgin language, but I hope to keep tutoring you now and then in any post I make, so in time you will become a master.
My First Suya Memory
The first time I had a taste of Suya, I was just seven years old. In those times, kids hardly ate it because there was no money, and if your parents were the kind who did not take to nightlife or even like street food, then you were in for a hard time. I had perceived the aroma of Suya when I passed a Suya stand — the smoke as it drifted directly to your nose, and the aroma that followed it like burnt oil mixed with smoke and meat. Oh, how my nostrils had flared. I had looked at the meat on the stand, the low charcoal burning with red embers, the Mai Suya sharpening his knife, and a random guy pointing at a particular juicy piece of meat indicating that was the one he wanted. My throat had bubbled, and I did not take my eyes off the meat until I fell into a drainage. It was embarrassing and memorable, but it was a sad moment in my life.
So one day we had a visitor, and he requested my elder brother to buy him Suya. My elder brother asked me to accompany him, and when we got to the Suya stand, the Mai Suya asked us, "Una go taste the meat?" (Will you guys taste the meat?)
I looked at my elder brother, who smiled at me and nodded his head. I grinned and watched as the Mai Suya cut a big chunk of grilled meat, sprinkled those special peppers on it, and handed it over to me. I could not believe my eyes. With the joy that overwhelmed me, I just stared at the meat — a little hot with smoke still drifting — and my elder brother said, "Eat it all."
I hugged him and then bit into the most juicy and greasy meat I had ever tasted in my young life. By the way, my elder brother is Samuel, who appears in one of my stories titled The Scented Note.
Ingredients You Will Need
Meat: Beef (lean cuts like topside), chicken, ram, or offal (liver, kidney, shaki). I will not recommend using chicken — no way, trust me, that will not work when it comes to making Suya. I know other people use it, that is why I put it on this list, but in truth the best protein you can use in making Suya is beef or ram. The protein depends on religious beliefs. In Northern Nigeria they do not eat pork, so ram is golden over there, but in the south everything is eaten and everything is used.
Yaji spice mix: Ground peanuts, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, bouillon powder, and sometimes cinnamon or cloves. It is hard to see a Mai Suya in the south using cloves, but cinnamon yes — it is mixed with the pepper that is sprayed on the cut meat before it is handed over to the buyer. Yaji spice can be found in the northern part of the country; it is hard to find in the south, though the Mai Suya are the best at making it.
Suya skewers: Bamboo sticks or metal skewers. I do not recommend metal, but many people use it. I think the best is the bamboo stick, sliced slim — a little bigger than a broom — with one tip sharpened so it can easily pierce the raw meat before putting it on the grill.
Sides: Onions (raw or grilled), fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, and fresh pepper. I will not recommend grilled onions — no, that will ruin everything. The raw sliced onion cut in the form of a ring is the best, and I hope you use a tomato that is not too soft — just check to make sure.
Step-by-Step Preparation
Step 1 — Slice the meat: Thin, flat pieces about ¼ inch thick so the spice can penetrate. Do not be greedy about it — slice it very thin so the spice and the bamboo stick can easily penetrate and so it can grill well.
Step 2 — Make yaji: Grind roasted peanuts and all dry spices into a fine powder. Do not forget to add cinnamon and a little clove to bring out the taste.
Step 3 — Marinate: Coat the meat generously with yaji and a little vegetable oil. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours. This is one of the most important parts because the oil sinks into the meat, carrying the spice in as the meat slowly and gently soaks it up.
Step 4 — Skewer: Thread the meat onto sticks. Some people skewer the meat before adding the vegetable oil — this I recommend — but others prefer to add the oil before skewering. It all depends on your preference.
Step 5 — Grill: Over hot coals, or using an oven or grill pan. Turn frequently. Baste with oil and more yaji. Grilling over coal is the best — that is universally known. I recommend it.
Step 6 — Finish: Sprinkle fresh onion slices and extra yaji on top before serving. This is done after the meat is ready and you want to serve. It is best to ask the person their preference because some people will love only onion while others will want to add tomatoes or cucumber.
Serving Suggestions
• Eaten as a snack or meal, often with fresh tomato, onion, and cucumber slices. Some people top it up with a bottle of gin or beer.
• Can be wrapped in newspaper (traditional) or served with kosai (bean cakes). I do not recommend eating it with bean cake — that is a no-go area. It ruins the flavour, and the combination is the worst.
• Some people add massa (rice cakes) or bread. You can make it into a sandwich with a slice of bread, and locally many people use it to soak garri — we will come to that later.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Cutting meat too thick — it will not cook evenly or absorb spice, and you will end up eating raw meat, which you do not want. Stick to the thin slice.
2. Skipping peanuts in yaji — that is the signature flavour. Skipping this ingredient is like saying no to heaven because it is what makes it Suya. It is what gives it the taste that everyone craves. Never skip it.
3. Over-grilling — Suya should be juicy, not dry. You do not want to be eating meat that looks and feels like a biscuit or a stringy old leather that requires two people dragging it apart. Stick to the steps and never over-grill.
4. Not enough pepper — Suya is meant to be spicy. It is the rule, and it is what makes it the king of street food.
Regional and Diaspora Variations
Northern Nigeria: Hotter, more peanut-based, often with ram meat. They use ram instead of beef due to religious beliefs, and they sell it at every time of day — unlike in the south. To be honest, Suya is much more common in the north than in the south.
Southern Nigeria: Milder, sometimes with added ginger. Beef is used more than ram here. Ram is more expensive than beef, and depending on location it is sometimes sold only at night.
Diaspora: People use ovens, air fryers, or even frying pans. Some substitute with BBQ spice. Their method is different from what is made here. I guess they have to come and taste it first hand to know they have been doing it wrong — and they need my tutorial to succeed. 😄
Akara (Bean Cake) — The Morning Champion of Nigerian Street Food
Nigeria has a variety of different kinds of street food. Just as Americans have their hotdog, which is sold regularly along the street and people get it hot in the morning when heading out for work, Nigeria has her own morning champion street food too. Just as Suya is the king of the nightlife, another food exists that is known as the morning champion — and it is known as AKARA (Bean cake).
Many people will ask the question that is begging for an answer, and here it is:
What Is Akara (Bean Cake)?
Educated People's Definition: Deep-fried fritters made from peeled black-eyed peas (beans), blended with onions, peppers, and seasonings. Called akara in Yoruba, kosai in Hausa, and bean cake in English.
Uneducated People's Definition: Akara (Bean cake) is the cradle of life and the easy early morning stomach infrastructure that helps the bricklayer, the carpenter, and the mason by giving them the strength to do their daily work in the morning.
Cultural Significance
Akara is a breakfast staple and street food, also served at parties and religious gatherings — especially during Ramadan for Sahur. I do not think it is served much at parties though — that is an exaggeration. What is served much at parties is called Moi Moi, which is another street food made from beans. We will get to that later.
My First Time Eating Akara (Bean Cake)
My first time eating Akara was when I finished high school and was looking for work. I was directed to a construction site and assigned to supplying cement to the casters. After carrying about fifty pans of cement, I grew tired and lay down on the ground panting for breath and crying from muscle pain. I was sweating like a pig on heat, and the supervisor was on my neck shouting that I should hurry up and that no one could wait for me. He said it was not time for a break yet. His words: "Man up, no kpai here oh" (Be strong and don't die here).
One of the workers took pity on me and said, "Wetin you eat?" (What did you eat?)
"Nothing," I replied, still on the ground breathing hard.
"No wonder. See, you don jam Akara before?" (That is a surprise. Look, have you eaten Akara before?)
"No," I replied.
"Na WA oh. See, Akara go save you, e go give you strength. See as I dey carry cement like say na waterproof." (That is impossible. Look, Akara will save you — it will give you strength. You can see how I am carrying cement like it is nothing.)
That made me raise my head and look at him properly. He then told me how I could eat a ball of Akara with bread and I would be fine. And that was how I tasted my first Akara. To be honest, I got the strength — but I vowed never to do such physical work again.
Ingredients You Will Need
Black-eyed peas (honey beans) — dried, not canned. Never make the mistake of using canned beans. That is an unimaginable disaster.
Onion (red or white) — never forget to add this. It gives the bean cake a nice flavour and taste.
Fresh red bell pepper and scotch bonnet (atarodo) — the instructions say fresh — not dried, and not those supermarket peppers sold in cans. Do not forget that. The pepper also adds colour.
Salt and bouillon powder (Maggi/Knorr) — do not forget these either. It is like cooking the beans because you add all the same ingredients.
Oil for deep frying — make sure there is enough oil depending on the pan used. It should be half full at the middle of the pan.
Step-by-Step Preparation
Step 1 — Soak and peel the beans: Soak dry beans for 5 to 10 minutes, then rub off the skins. Rinse thoroughly. After soaking for 10 minutes (my recommendation), remove the skin of the beans by rubbing them between your palms.
Step 2 — Blend: Blend the peeled beans with onions and peppers to a smooth, thick paste — no water except what is needed for blending. Add salt and seasoning. Make sure every skin of the bean has been removed before blending, and taste it to make sure the ingredients are balanced.
Step 3 — Whisk (optional): Some people whisk the paste to incorporate air, which makes fluffier Akara. I do not recommend this, but it depends on personal preference.
Step 4 — Heat the oil: Use a deep pot with enough oil. Test with a drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately. Make sure the oil is hot enough before dropping the bean balls in, or you will have scattered bean everywhere in the pan.
Step 5 — Fry: Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning once. The golden brown colour is what tells you it is done.
Step 6 — Drain: Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. I suggest putting it in a basket with lots of tiny holes so the oil can freely drip into a bowl kept underneath.
Serving Suggestions
• Eaten with pap (ogi), bread, or inside a sandwich. The best for me is making it into a sandwich with bread. Try it and you will want to do it again.
• Some people dip it in sugar or eat it with custard. The custard I can relate to — but that sugar? Do not try it.
• Often paired with agege bread or groundnut (peanut). Go with the bread alone, please.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Not removing the bean skins — causes a grainy texture and bitter taste. Never fry it when you have not completely removed the skin. Do not even think of blending it with the skins still on.
2. Too much water in the blender — the batter will be runny and the Akara will not hold its shape. It will spread like a pancake and ruin everything.
3. Oil too cold — Akara becomes oily and soggy. Always make sure the oil is hot enough before frying.
4. Oil too hot — the outside burns before the inside cooks. Moderate it — make sure it is neither too hot nor too warm. Keep it at a mild heat.
5. Over-blending — makes Akara hard and rubbery. Stop blending before it becomes too smooth. Do not forget this.
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