Pork, beef & lamb

Suya Beef & Peppers

Name: Suya Beef & Peppers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 900g lean beef braising steak, cut into thin strips; 50g roasted peanuts, unsalted; 6g (2 tsp) sweet paprika; 2g (1 tsp) cayenne; 3g (1 tsp) ground ginger; 3g (1 tsp) garlic powder; 3g (1 tsp) onion powder; 1 cube beef stock cube, crumbled; 2 (300g) onions, sliced; 3 (480g) mixed peppers, sliced; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 30g tomato purée; 20ml rapeseed oil; 300ml water

Strips of braising steak coated in a Nigerian-style suya spice of ground roasted peanuts, ginger, paprika and cayenne, simmered with peppers, onion and tomato.

makes 25 blocks, about 53p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Suya Beef & Peppers

Time: 1 hr 55 min20 min prep · 1 hr 35 min cook
Makes: 25 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 53p
Calories per blockCalories: 86 kcal
Spice

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

900glean beef braising steak, cut into thin strips
50groasted peanuts, unsalted
6g (2 tsp)sweet paprika
2g (1 tsp)cayenne
3g (1 tsp)ground ginger
3g (1 tsp)garlic powder
3g (1 tsp)onion powder
1 cubebeef stock cube, crumbled
2 (300g)onions, sliced
3 (480g)mixed peppers, sliced
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
30gtomato purée
20mlrapeseed oil
300mlwater

Allergens: Peanuts. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

GF
DF
NUTS

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	86 kcal	258 kcal
Protein	8.7g	26.1g
Carbs	3.5g	10.5g
Fat	4.1g	12.3g
Fibre	0.9g	2.7g
Salt	0.25g	0.75g

Method

Step 1: Blitz the peanuts to a powder (not a paste) and mix with the paprika, cayenne, ginger, garlic and onion powders and stock cube.
Step 2: Toss the beef with 10ml of the oil and two-thirds of the suya spice. Leave for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Brown the beef in the rest of the oil in a casserole over a medium-high heat in two batches, turning often so the spice doesn't scorch. Lift out. (8 min)
Step 4: Fry half the onions for 5 minutes, then the tomato purée for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, water and beef, cover and simmer gently until tender. (1 hour)
Step 5: Add the peppers and remaining onions and simmer uncovered until just tender, then stir in the rest of the spice. (17 min)
Step 6: Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: add 1 tsp more cayenne to the spice, or a chopped scotch bonnet with the onions.

Serve it

Rice with raw onion, tomato and cucumber · Flatbreads with shredded cabbage and lime · Jollof rice

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	86	8.7g	3.5g	4.1g	0.9g	0.25g
Per 3 blocks	258	26.1g	10.5g	12.3g	2.7g	0.75g

Cook’s notes

Ready-made suya spice (yaji) works: use 40g in place of the peanuts and spices, and still add the stock cube.
Short of time? Frying steak or rump cooks in 15 minutes; add it back with the peppers.

Serve it

Rice with raw onion, tomato and cucumber · Flatbreads with shredded cabbage and lime · Jollof rice.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 258 kcal and 26.1g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Suya Beef & Peppers questions

Why grind the peanuts so fine?

Suya spice is a dry rub, and a fine powder coats the meat evenly and melts into the sauce. If you keep blitzing it turns to peanut butter, so pulse in short bursts.

Can I use chicken?

Chicken thigh fillets cut into strips work well. Brown them as for the beef, then simmer for 20 minutes rather than an hour before adding the peppers.

Can I make it without peanuts?

Peanuts are central to suya. For a peanut-free version, use 30g toasted ground sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead; the flavour is milder but still toasty.