suya | Zikoko!

They might carry fancy names like suya melt, designer noodles and agege burger these days, but these suya recipes are rooted in the trenches.

Designer noodles

Source: Dobby’s Signature

As an undergrad student, noodles and eggs didn’t quite hit the spot for me, and I couldn’t afford to go all out and buy turkey or chicken as my protein option, but with as little as ₦200 suya, my noodle game took a straight zero to 100 spin. Find a full recipe here.

Agege bread suya

Source: Myactivekitchen

I remember visiting a friend once, and he went on and on about giving me a burger treat. Tell me why this brother showed up with agege bread? Anyway, he told me not to judge but to take a bite first. I did, and it was the best thing that entered my mouth that month. He’d sandwiched the bread with a rich serving of beef suya, yaji and mayo. Find a recipe here.

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Suya rice

Source: AnitaOkereke

I remember an older cousin making this when I was younger on days when we were home alone and couldn’t pull enough money for Mr Biggs. It was an elevated version of concoction rice, only with a generous serving of suya. These days, you’ll find bougie Lagos restaurants calling it “Designer Jollof” and charging through the roof. Find a full recipe here.

Suya Shawarma

Source: Sisi Jemimah

Suya is a cheaper filling compared to chicken franks or chicken breast. But the yaji spice has a way of elevating the taste of shawarma. Find a full recipe here.

Suya sauce

Source: Cookpad

Another trenches-inspired recipe, this sauce bangs when you don’t have enough money to cook a proper pot of stew with chunks of beef, chicken or turkey. A quick linkup with the maisuya on your street, and with ₦500 suya, pepper mix and seasoning, you’ll have yourself a tasty sauce for white rice or pasta. Find a full recipe here.

Garri and suya

Source: Scrollforth

The good ol’ unceremonious way of enjoying suya. You don’t need a recipe for this, just make sure you use mortuary-standard water for the garri. I may have added yaji spice to my garri for extra tinge, but that’s just the Yoruba in me.

Suya fried rice

Source: AromaArena

The trenches version of fried rice complements the absence of liver and shrimps with soulfully spiced chicken or beef suya. I fell in love with this recipe after ordering from a popular IG vendor, and I’ve never gone back. Find a full recipe here.

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 10, 2023

Chopist

Nigeria, Nigerian Food, Nigerians, suya
Finding the best suya spots in Lagos can be a real hassle because so many sellers set up shop without even the basic understanding of the traditional recipe.

But if you want to feast right and give your mouth a treat, these spots should be on your radar; they steadily deliver. You might have to spend extra coins, but at least, you’ll get your money’s worth.

University of Suya

Are you even a true Lagosian if you don’t know the University of Suya (Faculty of Meatology)? This spot is popular for being one of the first to make suya selling a full-time business. Forget what they say about the best suya being sold at night. These guys will satisfy your craving even in broad daylight, and it’ll probably be the best you’ve ever had.

Address: NO 113, ALLEN AVENUE, IKEJA

Arisco Suya

My mum was once on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) when I discovered this spot while looking for food. I saw a long queue and curiously approached to see what was going on. Turns out everyone wanted to buy suya, and I just knew that if people were willing to brace the scorching sun, it couldn’t be for anything regular. I was right! I don’t know how they do it, but the suya melts right into your mouth and doesn’t leave you chewing for so long. They specialise in beef and chicken suya.

Address: Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ishaga Rd, Idi-Araba

Burning Ram is Coming. Sign up to be notified when ticket sales begin.

Glover Court Suya

While the mainland has University of Suya, Glover Court does the Lord’s work for suya lovers who reside on the island. Nestled in the highbrow area of Ikoyi, this is one suya spot in Lagos that’ll have you paying above the average price, but it’ll be worth it. They serve a variety of suya delicacies including beef, kidney, tozo, liver, shaki, chicken and gizzard suya.

Address: 37 Glover Rd, Ikoyi

Sooyah Bistro

The Banky W-owned Sooyah Bistro is the plug for suya lovers who enjoy a little razzmatazz and drama with their suya. They serve a variety of traditional beef and chicken suya, but also have options like suya burger, suya crepe, suya spaghetti and rice, suya toast and suya shawarma. Sooyah Bistro also has branches across the mainland and island.

Check out Sooyah Bistro locations here.

Bukka Hut Suya

Bukka Hut is a restaurant known for serving local cuisine, but it has a wing that caters to suya lovers. Apart from their bestselling chicken and beef suya, they have asun, grilled fish, boli and shawarma. They offer delivery and have branches on the mainland and island.

Check out Bukka Hut locations here.

Lomo Suya

Lomo is one of the best suya spots in Lagos Mainland where you can find the real deal. You’ll always find people lined up waiting to buy suya, whether it’s in the day or night. Apart from their chicken and beef suya offerings, they sell roasted guinea fowl, masa and pre-package yaji spice.

Address: Opposite MKO Abiola Garden, Alausa.

Sign up here to be notified when ticket sales begin.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 23, 2023

Chopist

Nigeria, Nigerians, suya
I’m not sure who’s in charge of these things, but it’s about time we wrap up the boli, jollof and ofada rice festivals. Before you crucify me, I’m all for celebrating our local cuisines, but let’s be real, are these the OG meals that hold us down?

On your broke and tired AF days, did you go running after firewood jollof or ofada rice with assorted beef? I don’t think so. These are the meals we need to give their flowers from now on.

Garri

Nigerians go on and on about how garri has been a lifesaver since time memorial, but not one person has considered throwing a festival for this meal? Come on now. It’s giving selective favouritism. We need to throw a huge festival of garri lovers for this versatile staple. I mean, it gives us eba, garri cake, garri soup, good ol’ soaked garri with groundnut and more.

Agege bread

Source: K’s cuisines

Right after garri as a lifesaving Nigerian staple is agege bread. I can’t count how many days I didn’t know what to eat and agege bread came through — the hot, fluffy and brown type that soaks up the butter after each spread. We need a festival that’ll have the best agege bread, aganyin beans and akara sellers on ground.

Beans

Source: Playfoodbyyinka

People can act like they don’t give a shit about beans, but in the grand scheme of things, this is one Nigerian staple we can’t seem to do without. Gbegiri, akara, ewa aganyin, moi-moi, beans porridge, beans and corn… do I need to keep going, or can you see the range?

Agbado

At least, we’re sure to get government sponsorship with this one. Our president may roll his eyes at other meals on this list, but we know where his heart is when it comes to maize. We’re living in the agbado season. What better way to celebrate this staple than with an agbado festival? From roasted corn and coconut to buttered corn to boiled corn and ube to beans and corn, the meal options at the festival will be surplus.

Poundo yam

I’ve got a strong feeling that classism is the only reason why we’ve singled out amala to be celebrated out of all the Nigerian swallow offerings. Poundo yam should be that guy. Easy to make, no weird smell and goes well with all the soups you can possibly think of. We’ll just need festival attendees to show up and show off the best soup from their tribes.

Suya

My question is, how did dodo and Ofada rice get their own festivals before suya? Remember all the nights when you needed a chewy protein to accompany your garri, noodles or concoction rice? Suya was there. We’ll change suya’s story soon.

We’re here to change suya’s story. Burning Ram, our latest upcoming meat festival, will give this GOATed meal its flowers.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 15, 2023

Chopist

food fest, Nigerian Food, Nigerians, suya
Suya is a spicy Nigerian delicacy of grilled meat. However, because it’s grilled meat doesn’t mean you can recreate it easily. It takes years of apprenticeship and upskilling to become a grand suya master.

Everyone has a favourite suya guy, the one that gets everything just right; a delicate mix of the right texture, taste, and spiciness thanks to the open secret of yaji. If anything is missing, sorry, that’s not suya. That’s just grilled meat. Your suya guy or mai suya determines if you get high-quality suya or if you’re just eating heated meat. There are some bright red flags you should look out for when choosing your suya guy.

1. If he opens in the afternoon

Suya? In the afternoon? Anything you see, take it like that.

2. If he does not give you tasting

Tasting is the customary practice of the mai suya giving a piece of meat to you the minute you arrive at his stand. This seemingly simple act serves other purposes. First, it is a friendly welcome. Second, it establishes the relationship between you and the mai suya for the purpose of that transaction. It is also a means to gauge how good the suya is and help you determine how much you’re buying, even though you can feel the 200 naira you intended to use to buy the suya pressing against your thigh.

If he doesn’t give you tasting, it means he does not like you. Or it could mean his suya really sucks or he is just bad vibes. Whichever way, look out for this major red flag.

3. If he doesn’t have a gas lamp

Gas lamps are a signature tool for mai suyas, dating back through time. While many mai suyas are adopting technology and bulbs and rechargeable lamps, the best of them still use the gas lantern. Quote me anywhere.

4. If the suya burns his hands

With suya, experience is important. If your suya guy is doing “yeeish” when he touches a hot piece of meat, it means his hands are not experienced enough. Not a major red flag, but be on the lookout.

5. If there’s nobody at his stand

If he’s alone, not selling suya to anybody, then his suya probably sucks. I don’t make the rules. An ideal crowd of three or four people at the stand is a perfect number. Not too crowded, but enough to know that his market is in demand.

6. If he’s not Hausa/Fulani

Suya is a traditional Hausa/Fulani delicacy. Any other tribe attempting to recreate the magnificence will fail woefully at it.

Read: Countries You Didn’t Know Had Yoruba People

Olufemi Fadahunsi

November 12, 2020

Chopist

Food, Meat, suya
Winning the lottery anywhere in Africa requires some special steps to protect your life. Family and friends automatically become friendlier when they learn of your new windfall of money. Here’s a couple of things you can do when you win the lottery to avoid stories that touch.

1. First buy, like, 10k suya

And your favourite beverage to step it down. You’ll want to clear your head first.

2. Claim the money while wearing a mask

Like this Jamaican woman:

3. Move to another state

Before you know it, people would be banging at your door to beg for money.

4. Go offgrid

To further avoid beggars.

5. Start processing Canda visa

Winning the lottery should not derail japa plans, so that you too can feature on Abroad Life.

Read: 11 Ways To Instantly Recognise A Nigerian Tech Bro

One year ago, we left Nigeria for an 80-day adventure across West Africa. Something is coming. Unshared stories. New perspectives. Limited series. 10 episodes. Jollofroad.com

Olufemi Fadahunsi

October 2, 2020

Inside Life

lottery, suya, winning the lottery