Ever pleasing, mouth-watering, never disappointing kilishi; always on point! As much as I try to keep my consumption of beef to the barest minimum, I never seem to get enough of kilishi. Made by sun drying freshly cut well seasoned thin sheets of meat, this yummy jerky delight is a real blessing from the North.
To me, kilishi is not just a snack but a very versatile condiment. I add it to almost any meal that comes to mind – salad, noodles, porridge, sauces – you name it; flavourful kilishi complements them nicely. Not forgetting the refreshing goodness eating kilishi with correct ijebu garri and cold water brings – hmm, nothing beats that satisfaction on a hot sunny afternoon.
Make Your Own Kilishi
Have we some kilishi lovers in the house? I bet we do! Let’s make us some homemade version of this jerked meat.

Ingredients:

1 kg of fresh lean beef, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp ground Ginger
Cloves (6 whole or ½ Tsp ground)
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
Fresh garlic cloves (alternate with ground garlic)
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
½ Tsp Ground African nutmeg (optional)
1 Tbsp Ground Red Pepper (Paprika)
1 Tbsp Ground Chilli pepper
1 Tbsp Suya Spices
1 Tbsp Groundnut powder
2 Seasoning cubes/ ½ Tsp powder
A pinch of salt

 
Directions:
Remove any likely fat from beef cuts and wash thoroughly. Line them in pre-heated oven and grill at 200 – 220°C for about 15-20 minutes. Ensure to flip each side of the cuts intermittently for proper drying.
While the beef grills, mix up all other ingredients in a bowl. Using a mortar or blender, grind all the fresh spices together first then combine thoroughly with the dry ones.
Carefully marinate beef slices by dipping them into the bowl of spices. Leave to soak for about 30 minutes before returning to the grilling rack/tray. Spread them out properly and grill once more in the oven but for just about 15 minutes this time.
By now, your home made kilishi is ready to be devoured. Serve and enjoy!