By Firmain Eric Mbadinga
Danjoumma's kitchen in the heart of Niamey, the capital city of Niger, has the look of a gastronomic laboratory.
Dressed in orange smocks, white hats and multi-coloured masks, his staff is engrossed in cleaving chunks of beef lying on the chef's table.
With skillful, meticulous movements, a team of 10 men slices the meat into strips flat enough to cook in the sun. The cuts are from the round of the beef, a primary requirement for what Danjouma's customers swear is the best kilishi in this side of town.
The 40-year-old owner of the joint on Avenue de l'OUA appears to be busy as he paces the kitchen, supervising everything happening there.
"I have customers to satisfy, and they will be here soon," he tells TRT Afrika.
Hausa speakers staple
Hausa staple Kilishi is a version of beef jerky that owes its origins to Hausa-speaking West Africa.
Long before kitchens embraced the modernity of refrigeration systems, nomadic tribes in Nigeria and Niger needed a way to keep cuts of meat safe to eat during travel. Making Kilishi was a way of preventing food from spoiling while retaining the taste of the meat for long periods.
"To make good kilishi, I use meat from the hind. Once the meat has been treated to give it a draped shape, it is exposed to the sun," Danjouma explains.
Danjouma operates his business from a two-storey building. The ground and first floors are used for meat processing and sales, while the platform of the entire structure is used for solar cooking.
Crucial process
Exposing the meat to the sun is the most crucial part of the process. Danjouma and his team have installed shelves covered with raffia mats. After the meat is dried, it is marinated in spices and oil.
"The next stage is to grill the meat. This is when you get the kilishi you want," explains Danjouma.
While some like their kilishi with a pinch of salt, others prefer a good dose of chilli, ginger or peanut paste.
"When kilishi is prepared with just the basic seasonings, it can be eaten with a little salt. The other variety, generously spiced with chilli, is called kilishin yaji," says Danjouma.
Different taste buds
Adama Zurkallaini is a Nigerian consumer who likes her kilishi somewhat spicy.
"I am very fond of kilishi. What started as an African snack is now served at ceremonies everywhere. These days, you can find it in different flavours; it's easy to fall in love with kilishi," she tells TRT Afrika.
The thirty-something also notes a practical side to the treatment of kilishi.
"It's common to see kilishi offered as gifts at weddings or christenings. That's how popular it has become. You can even buy it in stamped bags," she says.
Danjouma works six days a week to meet the demands of customers like her. He is picky about the quality and flavour of his kilishi, so he only works with fresh meat that is richer in nutrients.
Family abroad
Danjouma's customers keep coming back. Some buy for themselves and order for friends and family abroad.
"It's a trade I learnt from my parents at an early age. Today, Alhamdulillah (thank God), I am doing fine financially. I manage to meet all my needs and those of my family," he says.
As of now, the only challenge he faces is the political uncertainty in his native Niger. After the military coup against deposed President Mohamed Bazoum last July, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced a series of sanctions involving the closure of all borders with Niger.
Suspension of international financial transactions and the freezing of the country's assets in foreign banks have also dealt a blow to the purchasing power of consumers, in turn affecting businesses.
Danjouma says his business is among those bearing the brunt of the sanctions. But that doesn't keep him from investing in a brighter future. In the true traditions of generations of kilishi fans, the show must go on.
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