Suya

Method

1. Soak the wooden skewers in cold water for at least 20 minutes so they do not burn on the grill. If using charcoal, light it now and let it burn down to glowing embers with a light coat of grey ash.
2. Make the yaji: pound 25 g roasted groundnuts in a mortar (or pulse in a spice grinder) to a coarse, slightly oily meal, then wrap in kitchen paper and squeeze firmly to press out as much oil as possible — the powder must be dry and crumbly. Rub it through your fingers into a bowl with 1.5 tsp cayenne, 0.5 tsp ground ginger, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp paprika, 0.5 crumbled stock cube and 0.5 tsp salt.
3. Firm 180 g beef in the freezer for 10 minutes, then slice it across the grain into wide sheets about 3 mm thick — thin enough to see light through. Thread the slices concertina-style onto the soaked skewers, keeping the meat flat and spread out rather than bunched.