Suya is "the grandfather of American barbecue," says Chef Kwame Onwuachi. Grilled, smoky meat, pickled vegetables, and a homemade spice blend make up this incredible Nigerian dish.
1lblarge (16– 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1lbboneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into ¼-inch strips
1lbboneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into¼- inch strips
4 ½tbspSuya SpiceKwame makes this from scratch, but you can find it at most grocery stores or online. Kwame’s recipe is included in the cookbook.
1 ½tspkosher salt
¼Cuproughly chopped fresh parsley
Tomato-Ginger Soubiseto serve
Pickled Tomatoes and Onionsto serve
lime wedgesto serve
Tomato-Ginger Soubise
1roma tomato, roughly chopped
2tspextra virgin olive oil
kosher saltto taste
2tbspgrapeseed oil
3tbspGinger-Garlic Purée (GGP)Kwame makes GGP from scratch, but you can find it at most grocery stores or online. Kwame’s recipe is included in the cookbook.
1yellow onion, thinly sliced
1cupheavy cream
1cupwhole milk
Pickled Tomatoes and Onions
1cupSpice Pickling Liquid
1medium red onion, large dice
1medium ripe tomato, large dice
Instructions
Suya
Place the shrimp, steak, and chicken in three separate bowls. Season each with 11/2 tablespoons of suya spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You can marinate the shrimp for up to 12 hours, and the steak and chicken for up to 48 hours.)
1 lb large (16– 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1 lb boneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into ¼-inch strips, 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into¼- inch strips, 4 ½ tbsp Suya Spice, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
Tomato-Ginger Soubise
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt. Spread evenly over the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, until deep red and a little wrinkly.
1 roma tomato, roughly chopped, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
Meanwhile, heat the grapeseed oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the GGP and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, along with the cream and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until reduced to about 1 cup— watch carefully, as cream has a tendency to boil over, so reduce the heat as necessary to keep it from sputtering or burning— about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and purée until velvety smooth. Season to taste with salt and set aside. You should have 1 cup of soubise.
2 tbsp grapeseed oil, 3 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Purée (GGP), 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, kosher salt
Pickled Tomatoes and Onions
Bring the spice pickling liquid to a boil in a small pot. Place the onions and tomatoes in a nonreactive bowl and pour the hot liquid over them, stirring to combine well. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour before serving. You should have about 3 cups of pickled tomatoes and onions.
1 cup Spice Pickling Liquid, 1 medium red onion, large dice, 1 medium ripe tomato, large dice
Assembling the Suya
When ready to cook, prepare a grill for high heat. Let it heat for 10 minutes. Grill the shrimp, steak, and chicken, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes for shrimp and steak and 4 to 5 minutes for the chicken.
1 lb large (16– 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into¼- inch strips, 1 lb boneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into ¼-inch strips
In a small pot, warm the soubise over low heat. Place the grilled items on a platter, dust with extra suya spice, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with warm soubise, pickled tomatoes and onions, lime wedges for squeezing, and jollof rice.
¼ Cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, Tomato-Ginger Soubise, Pickled Tomatoes and Onions, lime wedges