Suya Spice
Nomadic communities across the vast Sahel and Savannah regions of West Africa developed suya spice as a way to preserve ingredients without refrigeration while traveling long distances. Also known as yaji, it starts with kuli-kuli, baked or fried sun-dried peanut cakes, and pulverizes them with a mix of fresh or dried onion, ginger, garlic and chiles. The blend can vary depending on the ratio of spices and the heat level should be based on personal preference. The best modern versions consistently highlight the earthy and robust depth of roasted nuts and spices and evokes the smoky essence of grilled meat — even in meatless applications. In this streamlined version, smoked paprika delivers that note and roasted peanuts capture the richness of kuli-kuli. Typically used to marinate meat and fish, it also serves as a finishing sprinkle for those dishes as well as steamed vegetables, dumplings and breads.
Course
Makes
Be the first to log a make
No makes logged yet — log yours using the button above.
You may also like
Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread
Sheela Prakash · NYT Cooking
Adding cardamom to coffee is a well-loved practice throughout the Middle East and one that plays off each ingredient's traits. Sweet, floral cardamom mellows the acidity of coffee while coffee’s inherent bitterness keeps the peppery, menthol-like notes of the spice from overpowering. Here, the couple transforms a humble banana bread, perfuming it with extra warmth, while chopped dark chocolate adds richness. An optional coffee drizzle ensures this loaf is eye-catching but if you’d rather keep things simpler, sprinkle it with coarse turbinado sugar before baking to lend a touch of sparkle as well as pleasant crunch.
Fresh coriander sauce (Salsa de Cilantro)
Zarela Martinez · NYT Cooking
Fish tamales (Tamales de Pescado)
Zarela Martinez · NYT Cooking
Zarela Martinez's Ropa Vieja
Regina Schrambling · NYT Cooking
Sometimes the most humble ingredients make for the finest of meals, as Regina Schrambling wrote in 1988. Growing up in a tiny Arizona town among many Mexican neighbors, Ms. Schrambling learned early on of the rich flavors that can be coaxed from the simplest food. This ropa vieja, from the chef Zarela Martinez, embodies that philosophy. Garlic and peppercorns infuse a flank steak with flavor, which is then cooked shortly with a mixture of sautéed garlic, onions and poblano peppers. Hot, tucked into a tortilla, it’s a testament to the power of a long cook. Regina Schrambling
Oaxacan Yellow Mole Filling
Molly O’Neill · NYT Cooking
Oaxaca is the place where they invented mole sauce, "that perfect specimen of Mexican cooking," according to Ana M. de Benitez in "Pre-Hispanic Cooking." This is also where the natives carve wonderful mythological creatures and eat their tamales steamed in banana leaves (unlike anywhere else in Mexico). Molly O'Neill
Basic Tamales
Molly O’Neill · NYT Cooking
Molly O'Neill