Madagascar

Noah Grossenbacher

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Dive into the Exotic Island World of Flavors of Malagasy Cuisine!

Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, is home to an incredible array of unique plants and animals, including the iconic lemurs, thanks to its isolation. This island nation, located off the coast of Africa, is a crucial blend of cultures that have mixed for centuries. The original inhabitants came from Indonesia, later joined by African tribes, and a strong influence from French colonization. This cultural connection is evident in every aspect of life, including the food.

Malagasy cuisine is simple, and its foundation is always vary (rice), which is consumed in vast quantities three times a day. Vary is almost always served with laoka (side dish/relish), which is typically poultry, beef (zebu), or fish prepared as a stew or ragout. The national dish is romazava, a hearty meat stew flavored with unique green leaves that impart a slight tingling sensation on the tongue. Another specialty is ravitoto, stewed meat with shredded manioc leaves and coconut milk. Although Madagascar is famous for vanilla and cloves, these spices are more often used in desserts and drinks, while the main dishes are generally mild, unless accompanied by sakay (chili) sauce.