Charcoal Suya with Hand-Toasted Yaji and Tomato Relish

Method

1. Toast your own yaji. Put the raw peanuts in a dry pan and toast on medium-low heat for 5 min, shaking often, until evenly golden and nutty-smelling; add the cloves and peppercorns for the last 30 seconds just to wake them up. Cool completely, then grind in short pulses to a sandy powder and mix in the cayenne, smoked paprika, ground ginger, garlic powder, crumbled stock cube and most of the salt. Divide: two-thirds for the marinade, one-third for finishing.

   Add in this stepRaw shelled peanuts 55 gWhole cloves 1Black peppercorns (stand-in for alligator pepper) ½ tspCayenne pepper 1 tspSmoked paprika 1 tspGround ginger 1 tspGarlic powder ¾ tspStock cube ½Salt 0.6 tsp

   medium-low heat

2. Wrap the piece of beef in cling film and freeze for 30 min, until firm at the edges. With a sharp knife, cut it across the grain into wide, palm-sized slices 2–3 mm thick; this paper-thin cut is only possible while the meat is half-frozen.

   Add in this stepBeef sirloin or ribeye, in one piece 340 g

3. Mix the grated onion and ginger with part of the peanut oil and the marinade yaji into a damp paste and rub it onto every slice. Seal in a container and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 h, ideally overnight; the raw onion tenderises the meat and the spice soaks right in. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling.

   Add in this stepOnion, finely grated 40 gFresh ginger, grated 10 gPeanut oil 1 tbspWooden or metal skewers 6

4. Make the relish. Deseed the tomatoes and cut them into 5 mm dice; slice the red onion paper-thin and soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to soften its bite, then drain. Toss with the lime juice and the remaining salt and keep cool.

   Add in this stepTomatoes 1Red onion ½Lime ½Salt ⅛ tsp

5. Light the charcoal and leave it for 20 min, until the coals are covered in white ash (charcoal (medium heat)). You should be able to hold your palm 10 cm above the grate for 3–4 seconds. If flames are still licking up, wait, or they will scorch the peanut crust. No charcoal? Heat a cast-iron grill pan on high for 5 minutes instead.

   charcoal (medium heat)

6. Thread the meat onto the skewers, folding it accordion-style so it lies flat. Stir about a tablespoon of the finishing yaji into the remaining peanut oil to make a basting oil. Grill the skewers over the charcoal (medium heat) for 2 min, turn, brush with the basting oil and grill for 2 min. Turn once more, brush the other side and sear for just a few seconds to glaze. They are done when the edges are crisp and charred and no red juices show. If your grill is small, work in batches without crowding.

   Add in this stepPeanut oil 1½ tbsp

   charcoal (medium heat)

7. Move the suya to a plate and rest for 3 min so the juices settle. Shower with the remaining yaji and serve with the tomato relish. For the real street-stall touch, put extra yaji in a little bowl for dipping.