Ghanaian Chichinga Spiced Beef Skewer Sandwich

About This Recipe

Chichinga, better known abroad by the name of its peanut-based spice rub suya, is grilled meat sold from roadside stalls across Ghana and the wider West African sahel. Thin strips of beef are threaded onto skewers, brushed with oil, then coated heavily in kankan wura, a dry mix of ground roasted peanuts, ground chile, ginger and cloves. The skewers cook fast over open charcoal so the outside chars while the inside stays juicy, and vendors always finish with a scatter of raw onion and tomato. Turning it into a sandwich is a common late-night move at Ghanaian bus stations and markets, where the same skewers get pulled off the stick and stuffed into a torn piece of bread to eat on the move. The peanut crust toasts further against the hot bread, turning slightly crisp, while the raw onion and tomato inside stay cool and sharp against the spice. A squeeze of lime at the end cuts through the richness of the peanut coating. At home, a hot cast-iron pan or grill pan does the job of the charcoal well enough, as long as the pan is left undisturbed long enough to build real char before the meat is turned. The result should taste smoky, peppery and slightly sweet from the peanuts, with the sandwich holding everything together without turning soggy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gbeef sirloin(sliced very thin against the grain)
• 3 tbsproasted peanuts(finely ground)
• 1 tbspground ginger
• 1 tspcayenne pepper
• 0.5 tspground cloves
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1 tspbouillon powder
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 4crusty bread rolls(split and toasted)
• 1onion(thinly sliced)
• 2tomatoes(sliced)
• 1lime(cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the kankan wura

   Combine ground peanuts, ginger, cayenne, cloves, paprika and bouillon powder in a bowl. This dry spice mix is the whole identity of suya.

2. 2

   Coat the beef

   Rub the beef strips with oil, then press the peanut spice mix into both sides so it forms a thick, even crust.

   Freeze the beef for 20 minutes before slicing so you can cut it paper-thin.

3. 3

   Skewer and grill hot

   Thread the beef onto skewers and grill over high heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the crust chars in spots and the meat is just cooked through.

4. 4

   Toast the bread

   While the beef rests, toast the split rolls cut-side down in the same hot pan until warm and lightly crisp.

5. 5

   Build the sandwich

   Slide the beef off the skewers into the rolls, layer with onion and tomato, and finish with a squeeze of lime.

Variations

• •

  Chicken suya: swap beef for thin chicken breast strips and reduce grill time slightly.

• •

  Kidney or liver suya: use the same spice mix on beef kidney or liver for a more traditional offal version.

• •

  No skewers: cook the coated strips directly in a very hot skillet if you don't have a grill.

Storage

Keep grilled beef and the spice crust separate from the bread; refrigerate the beef up to 3 days and reheat briefly in a hot dry pan before rebuilding the sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions