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Suya Recipe_Kwame Onwuachi_(c)_Clay Williams

Suya

Kwame Onwuachi
In this recipe, I stick to the traditional proteins— steak, chicken, and shrimp. In Nigeria, suya is served with sliced tomatoes and onions, which help mellow the heat. Here that role is played by a tomato-ginger soubise and a traditional onion cream sauce from France, and I keep the tomatoes and onions in the form of pickles, whose burst of acidity rounds out the flavors.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Nigerian
Servings 6 - 8 people

Ingredients
  

For the Suya and to assemble

  • 1 pound large (16– 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound boneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into ¼- inch strips
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into¼- inch strips
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons Suya Spice (above), divided, plus more to garnish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
  • Tomato-ginger soubise, to serve
  • Pickled tomatoes and onions, to serve
  • Lime wedges, to serve

For the Tomato-Ginger Soubise

  • 1 Roma tomato, roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Purée (GGP) (above)
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk

For the pickled tomatoes and onions

  • 1 cup Spice Pickling Liquid (above)
  • 1 medium red onion, large dice
  • 1 medium ripe tomato, large dice

Instructions
 

  • For the 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 1hour. (You can marinate the shrimp for up to 12 hours, and the steak and chicken for up to 48 hours.)
  • For the 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.
  • 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.
  • For the 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.
  • To assemble: 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.
  • 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.

Notes

My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame OnwuachiFrom My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein. Copyright © 2022 by Kwame Onwuachi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Keyword BBQ, chicken, Shrimp, Spices