Ingredients
Peanuts
- 250 graw peanuts
- skinned
- or 250 g roasted unsalted peanuts
Spices
- 4 tablespoonschilli powder
- 2 tablespoonsground ginger
- 1 tablespoongarlic powder
- 1 tablespoononion powder
- 1 tablespoonground cloves
- 1 tablespoonground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoonground black pepper
- 1stock cube, crumbled
- 2 teaspoonssalt
Sometimes added
- 1 tablespoonground grains of selim
- 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoonground dried pepper leaves
Dusted over
- grilled beef or goat
- choukouya
- grilled fish
- grilled plantain
Directions
- Discard any nuts that are shrivelled or discoloured. Discard any that smell musty or taste bitter. The whole point is a dry loose powder. Grind the peanuts in short bursts only. Let the grinder cool between bursts. Mixing in the dry spices also absorbs some.
- Heat a heavy dry pan over a medium heat. Add the raw peanuts in a single layer. Stir them constantly with a wooden spoon. Never leave them unattended for a moment. Take them off before any go black. Tip them out into a clean cloth. Rub them hard through the cloth.
- Tip them into a bowl and blow the skins off. Spread the peanuts on a tray to cool. Let them cool down completely. Warm nuts release far more oil in a grinder. Do not skip over this step at all.
- Put the cooled peanuts in a grinder. Stop and check every few seconds. Tip the ground peanut onto kitchen paper. Press another sheet over the top.
- Press down to absorb the loose oil. That keeps the finished mix dry. Put the ground peanut in a bowl. Add all the ground spices to it.
- Add the crumbled stock cube to it. Add the salt to the bowl as well. Mix it thoroughly with a fork. Cloves and nutmeg give the warm background.
- Adjust it all to your own taste. Keep it in a sealed airtight jar. Keep it somewhere cool and dark. It keeps about a month at its best. Set a bowl of the powder out too. Let people dust their own portions. Serve it with grilled meat or fish.
Technique
- Yaji is the Hausa name for this mixture, the spice used for suya, and Sahelian butchers and grillers carried it south for work, where it took hold across coastal West Africa as kankankan.
- Ground roasted peanut makes up most of the volume rather than being a minor addition, giving body and carrying the spices onto the meat; its oil helps the powder cling to hot fat, where a dry spice mix alone would fall off.
- This mixture is mostly peanut and peanut allergy is common and can be severe, so anything dusted with it must be declared clearly when serving; groundnuts can also carry aflatoxin, which roasting does not destroy.
Substitutions
- Roasted unsalted peanuts save the roasting step, though freshly roasted taste better.
- Grains of selim, cinnamon and dried pepper leaves are all optional additions.
Variations
- Every seller has their own proportions, from mild to genuinely fierce.
- A light rub before grilling and a heavy dusting afterwards works best.
- Yaji and suya spice in Nigeria are the same mixture.
History
The Hausa yaji spice mix carried south by Sahelian butchers; in Abidjan it seasons choukouya and grilled fish.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kankankan?
Kankankan is a sauce & condiment from Côte d’Ivoire: roast peanut, chili and spice powder dusted over grilled meat. The Hausa yaji spice mix carried south by Sahelian butchers; in Abidjan it seasons choukouya and grilled fish.
How long does Kankankan take to make?
Kankankan takes 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 300 g of powder. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Kankankan?
Yes, within limits. Roasted unsalted peanuts save the roasting step, though freshly roasted taste better. Grains of selim, cinnamon and dried pepper leaves are all optional additions.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kankankan?
Discard any nuts that are shrivelled or discoloured. Discard any that smell musty or taste bitter. The whole point is a dry loose powder. Grind the peanuts in short bursts only. Let the grinder cool between bursts. Mixing in the dry spices also absorbs some.
