Nyama Choma – From the grill into your mouth

If there is one thing the Tanzanians love, it has to be the meaty, fleshy, all natural bursting taste that results from a slow roasted meal. When it comes to food here, nyama choma or the roasted meat is the cream of the crop, one of the most popular dishes! And while you can get beef, chicken or pork, goat remains the local favorite.

So on my first weekend in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, I could not miss the Nyama Choma festival. Thousand of people flock to a huge empty field to drink beer and eat the so much praised meat.

Served with a pile of salt on the side, a few wedges of lemon, and some tomato chili sauce, my nyama choma pyramid was delivered with a ice cold local beer. The first thing you find out is that nyama choma doesn't slide off the bone. It’s not that tenderly meat you get used to in the US. Nyama choma is the real deal. It has some serious texture to it, you can actually taste and feel the grains of a goat that’s been running around Africa, munching on grass and grazing. Eating this is an intense jaw workout, and I actually got a little sore from eating this nyama choma! Flavor was outstanding! You could actually taste the animal. Jaws worn out, and stomach full, I sat back in my plastic chair and enjoyed my Kilimanjaro beer. Behind me a line of live goats was being hauled to the festival.

Welcome to Tanzania and to the Nyama Choma experience!