Nyama Choma comprises of two words: ‘nyama’ which means meat and ‘choma’ which means barbecued in English. Nyama choma is a traditional meat dish from Kenya, and can be made with goat meat, beef, or lamb.
The origin of the dish traces back to the Massai people as they immigrated from North to East Africa.
Making this dish is not difficult at all. It is best to barbecue the goat meat at medium to low temperatures. You can either use charcoal, an electric barbecue grill, or an oven.
Ingredients
Meat
– 1, Whole bone-in goat thigh (but other parts such as spare ribs and other kinds of meat like beef or lamb can do as well).
Fresh_Ginger
– 1 root, diced
Garlic
– 10 cloves, diced
Onion
– 1 large, diced
Paprika
– ½ - 1 teaspoon, optional
Cumin_Powder
– ½ teaspoon
Bouillon
– 3 cubes
Basil
– 3 Tablespoons, fresh
Rosemary
- 6 sprigs, fresh
Soy_Sauce
– 1/3 cup
Honey
– 4 Tablespoons
Oil
– ½ cup, Extra virgin oil or other options
Salt
– 3 teaspoons kosher (or 1 ½ teaspoon table/iodized)
Instructions
Step 1
Place all the ingredients except the meat, in a blender; blend on high speed until thoroughly combined for about 30 seconds but take care not to process it too much. It should still retain some texture.
Step 2
To reduce the cooking time if using a goat leg, cut into three or four large chunks, so it cooks more evenly and quicker. Also score the meat to be able to marinate it evenly.
Step 3
Pour the marinade into either a re-sealable plastic bag, or an air-tight container and add your meat. Coat the meat with the marinade and using a marinade injector, inject some of the marinade into the meat, squeeze out excess air and seal the bag or cover the container tightly.
Step 4
Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is recommended for better results).
Step 5
Remove your marinated goat meat from the fridge at least one hour before grilling. Place the meat on a baking tray, sprayed or lightly coated with oil. Pour the remaining marinade over the meat.
Step 6
During this time, prepare your oven and set it to high. Preheat the oven to 170° C/ 365° F (standard). Cover with foil, place your marinated meat in the oven and bake for 1hr.
Step 7
Decrease the heat to 330° and continue baking the meat for the next 30 minutes until it turns golden brown.
Step 8
Once the cooking time is over, get the meat out of the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Mix 4 Tablespoons of honey with 2-3 Tablespoons of hot water. Uncover the meat and baste it with the honey glaze.
Step 9
Return the basted meat to the oven and broil each side on high for 5-10 minutes, or until the desired level of brownness has been obtained.
Step 10
Remove from oven and allow the nyama choma to rest, covered in foil for at least 10-20 minutes before cutting to prevent the juices from running over. This way, the goat meat stays juicy and tastier.
Step 11
Serve it with Ugali, Sukuma wiki and kachumbali (salad) for an East African experience!