Madagascar
Madagascar’s food is built around rice at every meal with zebu, greens and light broths; African, Asian and French roots mingle on the island. Look for Romazava (zebu beef and tongue-tingling anamalao greens broth; national dish), Ravitoto (pounded cassava leaves stewed with fatty pork, served over rice) and Koba (banana, peanut and rice-flour cake steamed in banana leaves). The national dish: zebu and greens in broth, including anamalaho, a paracress leaf that tingles and numbs the mouth; it was served at Merina royal tables. This atlas has 40 Madagascar dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.
40 dishes.
Vary sosoaLoose rice porridge eaten at dawn with kitoza or dried fish
Voanjobory sy henakisoaBambara groundnuts slow-cooked with pork until creamy
VoatsiperiferyTiny tailed wild pepper with a floral, resinous heat, gathered from forest vines
Zebu steakLean humped-cattle steak grilled and served with green peppercorn sauce-
Akoho sy voanio
Chicken simmered in coconut milk with ginger, northern classic. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 50 minutes cooking. Serves 6.…
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Betsa-betsa
Cloudy fermented sugarcane juice, sour and low in alcohol. A wine & spirit recipe from Madagascar.
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Bonbon coco
Grated coconut cooked with caramelised sugar and set into chewy squares. Ready in 15 minutes prep and 40 minutes cooking.…
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Dzama
Malagasy rum aged in oak, often infused with vanilla. A wine & spirit recipe from Madagascar.
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Godrogodro
Dense cassava and coconut-milk slab sweetened with caramelised sugar. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 1 hour 15 minutes cooking.…
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Habobo
Zebu milk soured until thick and tart, eaten with rice or sugar. 10 min to prepare. Makes about 1.5 litres.…
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Hena ritra
Pork or beef simmered in its own fat until dark and caramelised. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 2 hours…
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Henakisoa sy amalona
Pork belly stewed with freshwater eel and greens over rice. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 1 hour 30 minutes…
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Kaka pizon
Small knobbly fritters of fried sweetened dough, sold by the bagful. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 25 minutes cooking.…