Tastes of Nostalgia | Chicken Gizzard Kebabs

Chicken Gizzard Kebabs

Ok. I know the title says it all, but seriously, don't knock it till you've tried it. It's just like chicken feet which is very popular across a surprisingly broad demograph of cultures. You would never think that something that drab could be made to create an incredible fusion on the palate. Well the same principle applies to chicken gizzards - they can be amazing.
Well I thought since it has been a while since I last posted up a Taste of Nostalgia food, I thought I would inject some shock factor by way of return.

Yaji - Suya Spice

In one of my earlier posts, I stated how I associate most of my foods with events in my life. This is just so relatable along those lines.
As a child, weekends were never complete without a family trip to the roadside Suya spots to buy up the tasty local BBQ meat - Suya.
Suya is a traditional snack of roasted meat made famous from northern Nigeria. It is normally made more from beef, but they are also made from other alternatives such as chicken, mutton and of course chicken gizzards - my favourite!!! Whatever the choice of meat might be, what makes suya what it really is, are the spices called Yaji that is used to coat the meat prior to cooking.
The recipe for yaji is not set in stone so no two batches would ever taste the same from two different sources, because most of the recipes generally have some old family secret ingredients lurking within that are understandably never shared. The one main ingredient that, in my opinion, MUST be in the yaji is the kuli-kuli (peanut cake) that makes the yaji's taste almost addictive. I get my supply of yaji made from scratch and by order from traditional sources, but you can however purchase them from any African stores or even online from Amazon.
This recipe includes my twist on the traditional way of making suya, which makes it unique.

Oven Ready

Ingredients

• 400g Fresh Chicken Gizzards
• 15g Fresh Ginger
• 15g Yaji (Suya Spice)
• 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 2 tbsps Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Small Shallot (chopped)
• Handful of Coriander
• Pinch of Paprika

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to roast at 150 degrees C
2. Into a mortar (or food processor), combine all the ingredients, with the exception of the chicken gizzards, and grind to form a paste
3. Pierce skewers through the gizzards, which should allow for 4 gizzards on each - depending on their sizes
4. Coat gizzards all over with the paste. Don't worry if it does not coat all over completely, as the taste of the seasoning will work right through during cooking
5. Place in the oven for 40 minutes, turning over at the 20 minutes mark

Tips: 

• Do not handle seasoning paste with bare hands. The heat of the yaji can be lethal!
• For a cooling effect, serve with a refreshing salad. 

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