Food in

Madagascar

If you don’t know what to eat in Madagascar, you need to bear in mind that Madagascan cuisine is influenced by Arabia, China, France and India.  Get ready for spicy dishes with a lot of chilli, onion, garlic, ginger, curry and tomatoes.

To begin talking about Madagascan gastronomy, we will start with breakfasts. In this country, the traditional breakfasts consist of a plate of rice with fried chorizo or egg. This dish is accompanied by French bread with butter and condensed milk. As you can see, a perfect breakfast to explore this country full of energy.

To make the typical dishes of Madagascar, a base of rice is mainly used, served with some type of accompaniment. To accompany the rice, there are vegetarian and meat options. In either case, the dishes are always dressed with a sauce that contains ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, salt, vanilla, and curry powder.

In the more arid parts of the south of Madagascar, families who survive on shepherding, usually substitute rice for maze or yucca. They accompany this dish with a curd made of fermented zebu milk.

Of course, throughout the island there is a large range of tropical fruit, such as the tamarind, mango, guava, coconut, pineapple or avocado. Local production includes fruit juice, coffee, herbs and black tea, which are widely consumed. Another section worth considering is alcoholic drinks, which we will talk about at the end.

So, let’s discover the typical dishes to eat in Madagascar that you must try during your trip.

 

Lasopy

This vegetable soup is generally served as a starter and forms part of the dishes you must eat in Madagascar. The stock of this soup is the one that is almost always used to boil the recurring rice that is the base of nearly all of its cuisine.

 

Fish in coconut sauce

If you like fish, something you must try in Madagascar is the famous dish of fish in coconut sauce which is served in coastal areas. Fish, generally grilled, is served accompanied by vegetables and pasta, with the country’s typical spicy sauce.

 

Akoho

This typical dish of Madagascar consists of chicken and rice. The lean meat of the chicken is used to make it, which is roasted with different spices, especially chilli and onion. It is served on a lettuce leaf accompanied by boiled rice. It is a simple but tasty dish.

 

Ravitoto

One of the typical dishes to eat in Madagascar is ravitoto, which consists of mashed cassava leaves accompanied by pork or zebu meat.  Of course, it is served with rice and a spicy ginger and chilli sauce.

 

Romazava

Perhaps the star of the typical dishes of Madagascar, or at least the best known. It consists of a stew of diced zebu meat, which is cooked with tomatoes, onion, ginger and bredes, a type of spicy cress. The stew is served with white rice, of course.

 

Hena Kisoa Sauce

Another of the stews to eat in Madagascar if you like meat is this dish made with pork. To make it, the same method is used as for making Romazava, but pork is used instead of zebu meat.

 

Masikita

Also known as Mosakiky, this dish from Madagascan gastronomy consist of skewers of zebu meat, accompanied by rice.  The meat is barbecued and the traditional spicy sauces is added to give it flavour.

 

Sesika

Those who love meat will enjoy trying this dish, it is a type of black pudding which is served with white beans and boiled rice. Quite a hearty dish, both in flavour and because of the mix of ingredients.

 

Eel with pork

Eels from part of Madagascan gastronomy, especially in some specific areas. To make this dish, pork is used, which is cooked with tomatoes, chives, collard greens and peppers.  It is obviously served with boiled rice.

To finish, we have to mention the desserts, which, as well as including fresh tropical fruits (tamarind, mango, pineapple, lemon, guava, avocado and coconut), also includes all types of French pastries, as well as chocolate.

To accompany the food, the national Madagascan drinks that you can try are Toaka Gasy, or Betsabetsa, both are alcoholic drinks obtained from the fermentation of rice or sugar canes. There is also a large production of local rum and a deep rooted tradition of drinking palm wine or Trembo.

So now you know what to eat in Madagascar, make sure you try each dish on your trip.