As Madagascar is a large island, the typical dishes change from one province to another. However, whatever the nature and components of a dish, they are always accompanied by rice, which is the staple food of all Malagasy people. Here are two great must-have dishes from Madagascar.
For the preparation of vary amin’ny anana you need:red rice (count 120 grams per person), two large onions, a head of garlic, a red tomato, 50 grams of fresh ginger, salt and two tablespoons of peanut oil.
As for brèdes, I prefer the three Malagasy varieties such as Ravimbomanga (sweet potato leaves), anamalaho (brède mafana), and anamamy (brède nightshade). But if I can't find any, I replace them with watercress, spinach and Chinese cabbage. It's just as delicious.
Start by finely chopping the onions, tomatoes, as well as the ginger and garlic. Do the same also with the brèdes. In a saucepan, heat the oil, brown the onions, tomatoes, garlic and then pour in the previously washed red rice.
Mix gently with a wooden spoon and cover with water up to three quarters of the pan. Leave to cook for about twenty minutes and stir regularly so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Then finally add the brèdes, salt to taste and simmer until the rice is soft. Even if the vary amin’ny anana is a dish in its own right, it is usually accompanied by smoked meat, or meatballs.
omby ritra for example. It is also a very festive dish that is eaten especially during major events such as the "famadihana" for example (the exhumation).
For a stewed zebu for four or six people, buy 500 grams of very fatty zebu meat and if possible with very few bones. Of course, in the absence of zebu, you can use beef, which you will cut into large pieces.
Dice two to three onions, seven to eight cloves of garlic, and a bunch of thyme. Heat a pressure cooker, then pour a drizzle of sunflower oil to brown the pieces of zebu meat. When they begin to brown slightly, add the garlic, onion and thyme. Cover and simmer until there is no more water.
Salt and cover with water up to the meat. Leave to cook for a few hours, then check regularly to see if the water has evaporated. The hena omby ritra is cooked when the meat bathed in its oil is tender. Eat with white rice and a tomato rougail. Mazoto homana!
