While we all love Nyama Choma, we tend to ingore the sides, and they deserve just as much love as the goat meat portion of the meal. So instead here are two great and very simple recipes that deserve a place at the table.
Coconut Rice
Ingredients
4 cups of rice
3 cups of coconut milk
2 cups of water
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablesoon grated ginger
1 green pepper chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
salt and pepper to taste.
To star the recipe, you first heat up your pot and add your oil. Once it is hot, add your onions and cook until they are soft/transluscent.
Then add the garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander to the post and cook until it has all combined, then add your rice and cook so that it is all coated.
Now add your coconut milk and water to the mix. You can also use a chicken or vegetable stock to add more flavour.
Lower the heat and let it cook until the rice if soft and fluffy and enjoy.
Garlic Chicken
Chicken, especially roast chicken can sometimes end up really dry, which is why it might not necessarily be the favourite when you are having nyama choma. However the secret to a perfect roast chicken, every time is to brine it.
This just means submerging it in a salt water combination for a few hours which helps lock in all the moisture.
To make a brine you need to.
Combine; water, salt, sugar, thyme, lemon, garlic and black peppercorns and bring the solution to a boil until the salt and sugar is dissolved.
Allow the mixture to cool completely before submerging your chicken in it. You can do this an hour before cooking, but 24 hours gives the best results.
Once you are ready to cook, remove the chicken to dry slightly at room temparature. This is so the skin gets crispy when you cook it.
In a bowl, combine your crushed garlic, grated ginger, salt, black pepper,lemon juice and cooking oil. rub your chicken pieces with it and allow it to marinade.
Once you are ready,throw the chicken onto the BBQ and cook until it is crispy and done all the way through. You can also make this dish in the oven.
While it may be a simple recipe, you can add more spices to it if you like a little heat, or play around with the flavours that you enjoy.