Suya Spice (Yaji) substitute

Substitutes for Suya Spice (Yaji) with ratios

1. 2Ground Kuli-Kuli

   Close match

   use in place of the peanut powder, 1:1

   Crushed kuli-kuli, the West African fried groundnut snack, which is the traditional peanut component of yaji.

   What changes

   Best for

   authentic suya, any yaji you are building from scratch

   This is what most Nigerian cooks and suya sellers actually use, and it is why street suya tastes toastier and grittier than a version made with plain peanut powder. Crush it in a bag with a rolling pin or blitz it briefly, and stop before it turns to paste. It is oilier than defatted peanut powder, so the finished rub clumps a little; that is normal and it crusts better on the grill.

2. 3Unsweetened Peanut Butter Powder

   Different texture

   Use the same amount for the peanut portion

   Defatted powdered peanut sold in supermarket health aisles, the easiest peanut source outside an African grocer.

   What changes

   Best for

   homemade yaji, dry rubs, situations where you want the rub to stay loose and dusty

   Finer and drier than kuli-kuli, and often slightly sweeter, which softens the savoury edge of the rub. Check the label for added sugar and salt and buy the plain version. Toasting it in a dry pan over medium heat for two minutes, until it smells nutty, closes most of the gap. Because it is defatted, the crust on the meat is thinner and less rich.

3. 4Berbere or a Cayenne-Forward Chili Blend, plus Peanut Powder

   Different taste

   2 parts blend to 1 part peanut powder

   An Ethiopian berbere or similar hot, aromatic ground chili blend used as the spice half of an improvised yaji.

   What changes

   Best for

   quick weeknight suya-style grilling, kebabs, roast chicken

   Berbere shares yaji's ginger and chili backbone, which is why it works better than most shortcuts. It brings fenugreek, cardamom and often cinnamon, so the result is warmer, sweeter and more perfumed than suya, which is comparatively clean and ginger-sharp. Add an extra half teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon to pull it back toward suya, and add salt, since berbere blends vary.

4. 5Cajun or Creole Seasoning, plus Peanut Powder

   Different taste

   2 parts seasoning to 1 part peanut powder

   A supermarket Cajun or Creole blend used as the seasoning base, since both are cayenne-led, salty and garlic-heavy.

   What changes

   Best for

   grilled beef and chicken, when the only blend in the cupboard is Cajun

   The heat, salt and garlic land in roughly the right place. What gives it away is the oregano, thyme and celery salt, which make the meat taste distinctly American-barbecue rather than Nigerian. Push it back with an extra teaspoon of ground ginger per two tablespoons. Cajun blends are already salty, so skip the added salt and the bouillon cube.

5. 6Cayenne, Ginger, Garlic Powder and Salt Alone

   Taste and texture differ

   Use 2 teaspoons cayenne, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt for every 500 g meat

   A no-peanut version for a peanut allergy or an empty cupboard.

   What changes

   Best for

   peanut-free grilling, minimal-pantry cooking

   Honestly, this tastes hot and savoury and reasonably West African, but it is missing the thing that makes suya suya. Without the nut there is no ground, roasted, slightly sweet bulk, and no nut protein and fat to catch on the grill, so the crust is thin instead of crumbly and browned. For a peanut allergy, substitute toasted ground sesame or ground toasted sunflower seed for the peanut at 1:1; sesame in particular gets you surprisingly close.