Chilled Nigerian Suya-Spiced Watermelon and Cucumber Bites with Peanut Crunch

Spread the watermelon cubes and cucumber rounds on a paper-towel-lined tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes — cold, dry fruit holds the spice rub instead of turning it into a slurry.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 large seedless watermelon, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 2 English cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon bouillon powder (optional, traditional)
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Spread the watermelon cubes and cucumber rounds on a paper-towel-lined tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes — cold, dry fruit holds the spice rub instead of turning it into a slurry.
2. Meanwhile, pulse 1/2 cup of the peanuts in a food processor or crush them in a bag with a rolling pin until you have a coarse, sandy powder with a few larger pieces remaining.
3. In a bowl, combine the peanut powder with the paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, sea salt and bouillon powder if using, then stir until the mixture is a uniform rust color — this is your yaji, the suya spice blend.
4. Roughly chop the remaining 1/4 cup of peanuts and keep them separate for the final crunch.
5. Arrange the chilled watermelon and cucumber on a large serving platter in a single layer, alternating pink and green.
6. Squeeze a little lime juice over everything, just enough to dampen the surfaces so the spice adheres.
7. Dust the yaji generously over the platter using a small sieve or your fingers, working in two passes so the coverage is even rather than clumped.
8. Scatter the reserved chopped peanuts, the torn mint and a pinch of flaky salt over the top.
9. Serve immediately with cocktail picks and the remaining lime wedges, and keep the extra yaji in a shaker at the table for anyone who wants more heat.
10. Suya is Nigeria's great street-food export — skewers of thinly sliced beef coated in yaji, a peanut-and-chili rub, and grilled over open coals by roadside mai suya vendors. The spice blend is far more versatile than the meat it usually accompanies, and pairing its heat and roasted-peanut depth with ice-cold watermelon is a genuinely Nigerian move: yaji-dusted fruit is sold from the same stalls in the hot northern months. Mix the yaji up to a month ahead and keep it in a jar; it is equally good on grilled corn, roast chicken or plantain chips.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 160 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 19g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 13g
• Sodium: 390mg