5 Tips on Eating Nyama Choma (roasted meat)

18 March 2009 306 views 4 Comments

Nyama Choma, or grilled meat or often times grilled goat, is a scrumptious gem in East Africa. From my experience eating, I have formulated a few suggestions for ultimate satisfaction.

1. Meat

Most likely, unless you go to an ultra established renowned eatery (I wouldn’t recommend it), you will arrive at a roadside restaurant and get to choose your raw cut of meat. There will be a few goat carcasses hanging in the warm butchery and you will be faced with a decision that will make or break your nyama choma. Choose something that is not overly lean. The extra fat is much needed for the grilling process. I usually choose a chunk off the hind leg, almost always to please, with the right amount of fat to meat ratio.

2. Time

Expect to wait, don’t walk into a nyama choma joint and except to eat right away. Choose your meat, sit, relax, enjoy the smells, have a couple drinks, and lean back in your plastic chair and enjoy.

3. Go With Friends

Closely related to the long wait, nyama choma should be a social event. There are some who go out to eat in solitude, but with a 1-2 hour wait, nyama choma is much more enjoyable with a good conversation.

4. Order Kachumbari

Sometimes there is a need to cut the straight all meat approach to eating nyama choma. Order a bowl of kachumbari which is diced tomatoes, onions, dhania (cilantro), and a couple of hot peppers. This garnish highly complements a piece of meat.