Nyama Choma
Nyama choma literally means “grilled meat” in Swahili. It is a fire-roasted kind of grilled meat (in most cases goat meat although beef and chicken can also be used) that is very famous in Kenya, Tanzania and some other parts of East Africa.
Ingredients
- 1 kg goat meat cut into thick chunks you can use cuts of chicken or beef instead, but best results are with goat meat
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 heaped tbsp. crushed ginger
- 1 heaped tbsp. crushed garlic
- 1 heaped tbsp. grated raw papaya acts as a tenderiser
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- juice of 2 limes
- 2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped dhania
- 1 tsp. paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. curry powder or dhana jeera optional
- 1/2 tsp or to taste salt (soy sauce is normally salty, add salt with caution)
Instructions
- Clean the meat and pat the pieces dry. Do not trim off any excess fat, that helps keep the meat moist and tender.Put the meat in a plastic or glass dish. Then blend the rest of the ingredients and pour the mixture onto the meat. Massage it into the meat well, then cover the dish and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.When ready to cook, remove the meat dish from the fridge at least an hour earlier to bring the meat back to room temperature. Light up a charcoal grill until all the coals are well lit and are covered with a white layer of ash. Put the meat onto skewers or place a wire mesh over the coals and then place the meat directly on top of the fire and allow it to cook until the meat has a bit of singe and colour, making sure to turn the meat regularly so that it is evenly cooked on all sides. Using a clean brush, baste the meat with some oil as it or some of the leftover marinade as it continues to cook to add flavour and prevent it from drying up during cooking. You can then either wrap the meat it in a double layer of foil (enclose the meat in a packet of foil) and place it on the grill so the inside continues to cook slowly or just continue to grill until cooked to your liking.Once cooked, get a sharp knife and cut up the meat into bite sized pieces. Then serve with fries or ugali, plus some kachumbari and spicy hot pilipili sauce.Enjoy!
Notes
TIP: To prevent the meat from burning and to get the brown colour you want, regulate the heat by having a layer of ash on top of the charcoal. This will also prevent flare-ups when fat drips into the fire.
Hello..
Hello..
I m fan of your recipes..
I wait everyday for your recipes..since I am allergic to soya sauce..
Can I use fish sauce….thank you
Hi, yes you can even leave
Hi, yes you can even leave out the soy sauce as it is mainly added for a bit of extra flavour and to give the meat a good colour. It will still be fine without it.
Assalaamu Alaykum,
Assalaamu Alaykum,
How to prepare this in the oven or over the stove top since I don’t have a grill?
Looking forward to your response.
Thanks
W/Salaam, the effect is not
W/Salaam, the effect is not the same when baked in the oven as this is a grilled recipe. Have never tried it in the oven.
assalam alaikum Sister;
assalam alaikum Sister;
jazakillah sis for wonderful recipe…
I used your boiled mshikaki technique for this recipe smoking it at the end..plus didnt have raw papaya so used meat tenderizer…it was amazing!!