Destination
Kampala
The story
Muchomo is the Ugandan Luganda word for grilled meat, and the goat version is the classical Kampala bar snack. Cubes of goat meat (about 3cm) are marinated in a paste of onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder and lime, threaded onto skewers, and grilled hard over glowing charcoal until dark charred at the edges and tender at the centre. Sold at every Kampala bar and street stall from about 5pm to midnight, and at every countryside pork joint's chicken and goat counter. The classical Ugandan serving is on a paper plate with a mound of kachumbari salsa, a chunk of boiled cassava, sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime. A cold Nile Special or Bell Lager on the side is mandatory.
Method
Blend all marinade ingredients to a smooth paste.
Toss goat cubes with the marinade. Refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white ashy and screaming hot.
Thread 4 to 5 marinated goat cubes onto each skewer, spacing slightly.
Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until dark charred at the edges and cooked through but still juicy inside. Goat is best medium; over-cooked goat is chewy.
Rest 3 minutes on a wooden board.
Toss the kachumbari ingredients. Boil cassava. Slice avocado.
Arrange muchomo on a plate with cassava, avocado and kachumbari. Serve with lime, chili sauce and cold beer.
Tips
- Goat is the classical meat. Beef muchomo exists but goat is the Ugandan tradition. Any halal butcher sells goat leg or shoulder.
- Short marinade. One to four hours only. Acid-based marinades break down goat too much on longer soaks.
- Screaming hot grill. Fast char is the target. Muchomo is not a slow cook.
- Kachumbari on the side is essential. Do not skip.
- Serve with a cold beer. The Ugandan tradition is that muchomo is bar food.
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