Nyama Choma
/ˈnjɑː.mə ˈtʃoʊ.mə/noun
A dish of meat roasted or grilled over an open fire, especially associated with East African cuisine.
Did you know?In East African food culture, nyama choma is more than a recipe: the slow roasting, communal serving, and open-fire setting make it a celebrated social ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*nyama
“Animal flesh or meat; a reconstructed Bantu root”
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*cóm-
“To burn, roast, or cook by fire; a reconstructed Bantu root related to the Swahili verb choma”
Medieval Period
Bantu languages
nyama
“Meat or animal flesh in numerous Bantu languages”
Medieval Period
Swahili
choma
“Burn, roast, or grill; the imperative form can mean “roast!””
Modern Period
Swahili
nyama choma
“Roasted or grilled meat”
20th Century–Present
English
nyama choma
“An East African grilled-meat dish and a social dining tradition”
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