Kilishi

About This Recipe

Kilishi is painstakingly made by pounding lean beef into thin sheets, coating them in a spiced groundnut paste, and sun-drying them until brittle. The result is intensely flavoured, shelf-stable, and protein-dense. Originating in northern Nigeria and southern Niger, it is sold at roadside stalls and gifted at weddings across the Sahel.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1 kglean beef (topside or silverside), sliced paper-thin
• 4 tbspgroundnut paste
• 2 tbspground ginger
• 1 tbspground cloves
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspcayenne pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the beef

   Lay beef slices on wire racks. Sun-dry 4-6 hours (or oven-dry at 70 °C for 3 hours) until leather-dry but not crumbling.

2. 2

   Mix the paste

   Combine groundnut paste, ginger, cloves, salt, and cayenne with enough water to make a spreadable paste.

3. 3

   Coat and re-dry

   Brush dried beef slices generously with spiced paste. Return to racks and dry a further 2 hours until coating is set and dry.

4. 4

   Toast to finish

   Grill or dry-pan-toast briefly 1-2 minutes per side until the coating caramelises slightly.

Variations

• •

  Use lamb for a more traditional Sahel version.

• •

  Add a teaspoon of locust bean powder (daddawa) for funky depth.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Kilishi keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks; refrigerate for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions