Nyama Choma Gua Bao with Kachumbari Slaw and Pili-Pili Mayo (Kenyan x Taiwanese)
Garlic-ginger lamb charred in a grill pan like nyama choma, sliced thin and tucked into soft Taiwanese gua bao with tangy kachumbari slaw and spicy pili-pili mayo.
Method
If the lamb is thicker than 1.5 cm, pound it evenly with a rolling pin. Mix the grated garlic and ginger, salt, pepper, lemon juice and oil, coat the meat all over and marinate for .
Add in this stepBoneless lamb steaks (leg or shoulder, 1.5 cm thick) or beef sirloin 300 gGarlic cloves, finely grated 1Fresh ginger, finely grated 8 gSalt ¾ tspBlack pepper ½ tspLemon (juice) ½Vegetable oil 1½ tbsp
Kachumbari slaw: slice the red onion paper-thin and cut the cucumber and deseeded tomato into thin strips. Toss with the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and leave for 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid so the buns don't go soggy and stir in the chopped coriander.
Add in this stepRed onion (for the slaw) ½Cucumber (for the slaw) ½Tomato, deseeded (for the slaw) 1Rice vinegar 2 tspSugar 1 tspSalt (for the slaw) 1 pinchFresh coriander 8 g
Pili-pili mayo: stir the chilli sauce and lime juice into the mayonnaise. Taste and adjust the heat.
Add in this stepMayonnaise 2 tbspSriracha or other chilli sauce (the pili-pili) 1 tspLime ¼
Heat a 26 cm grill pan or cast-iron pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke; no extra oil is needed. Lay in the meat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, in total, until it has deep char marks and a smoky flavour. Cook in batches if it doesn't all fit. Cook lamb to at least 63 °C in the centre (medium) and beef to your liking, then rest on a board for . It gets smoky, so turn on the extractor fan.
high heatBring water to the boil in a steamer over high heat, then set the frozen buns in it without touching and steam for , until soft, puffy and hot right through. Steam in batches if needed, and keep the finished buns under a clean cloth so they don't dry out.
high heatSlice the meat thinly against the grain. Open each bun, spread with pili-pili mayo, fill generously with meat and slaw, scatter over the peanuts and eat straight away.
Add in this stepGua bao buns (frozen, folded) 4Roasted peanuts, roughly chopped 10 g
Cook's tip
Gua bao buns are easy to find in the freezer section of Asian grocers. No steamer? Wrap them in damp kitchen paper and microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. The slaw can be made a day ahead, but add the coriander just before serving.
Cooking it at camp
Grilling the meat over charcoal gives you true nyama choma smokiness. Steam the buns on a trivet in a covered pot, or wrap them in foil and warm them at the edge of the grill. Carry the meat in its marinade in the cooler and the slaw in a sealed tub.