To enjoy an unforgettable culinary journey to a country where flavors are as diverse as they are exquisite, Madagascar is the ideal destination. The Great Island reveals many facets, including its unique cuisine. During your stay in the country, certain local specialties should not be missed. Discover which ones.

Traditional specialties typical of Madagascar

The Malagasy population is very fond of rice, a staple food in their diet. Rice is typically served as an accompaniment to what Malagasy people call laoka. This is how Malagasy dishes are generally presented: rice paired with zebu meat, pork, or chicken… and sometimes with vegetables (usually one type) or legumes.

Thus, you will have the opportunity to taste local dishes such as fish in coconut milk, crab sauce, which come from coastal cuisine, as well as ginger chicken, not to mention the famous pork with ravitoto. This latter specialty consists of mashed cassava leaves simmered with pork.

And because rice can be dry, the essential ro mazava is always suggested. It is in fact a broth made with greens and meat. Ro matsatso is a variation of ro mazava. It is a broth made with green leafy vegetables.

In the morning, and particularly at the market, vary amin'anana sy kitoza is a must: fluffy rice with greens served with grilled meat, meatballs, french fries, or fried eggs. In some coastal regions, the dish is called Sabeda sy mosakiky. It is served with a kind of cucumber or raw papaya salad and is typically eaten in the early evening.

Little delights of everyday life loved by young and old alike

In Madagascar, morning, noon, or night, snacks are always welcome. If you have a taste for fritters, you will surely enjoy mofo gasy (a type of rice cake), ramanonaka (a type of savory and oily rice cake typically eaten for breakfast), or menakely, a type of fritter made with wheat and rice flour. Children prefer the "cacas pigeons" (a type of fried shortcrust pastry), delicious and crunchy.

Have you ever heard of koba? This delightful Malagasy cake is made from peanuts and rice flour, steamed and then wrapped in banana leaves. This sweet snack with its characteristic aroma is best enjoyed as a dessert or afternoon treat. There are two varieties of koba: koba voanjo (koba with peanuts) round in shape and recognizable by its dark brown color, sometimes even black in the middle which is the sweetest part, with lighter colors around the edges which is the least cooked part; and koba vary (koba with rice) recognized by its grayish color and wrapped in thin slices in banana leaves.

Gourmands will also delight in local foie gras and the famous caviar from Mantasoa, excellent for aperitifs! Beverages are equally noteworthy. Don't forget to sip bonbon anglais (lemonade) or Fresh (shandy), sweet and refreshing drinks. As for beer, you will be absolutely captivated by THB, winner of the gold medal at the prestigious "Monde Sélection de Bruxelles" in 2004, 2012, 2015, and 2016.

Quality products with international renown

Madagascar is also renowned for its delicious chocolates, including those from the illustrious "Robert" brand. Due to the quality of its chocolates, this brand has been awarded, notably the London Golden Bean Award 2017. "Tsara" is another chocolate brand to try, or the artisanal chocolates "Kabos". Thanks to carefully selected ingredients, Malagasy chocolates are refined with an intense and well-rounded taste.

Finally, let's talk about cheese "made in Madagascar", most of which are produced from cow or zebu milk. The regions of Vakinankaratra and Ambatomanga are the main cheese producers, but other producers are also making quite an impact with consumers such as Mangoro in the Alaotra Mangoro region in the East, which offers all sorts of cheese varieties ranging from processed cheese to camembert to gouda. From the blue cheese of Antsirabe to fresh cheese, local productions are well worth the detour!

© Détours Madagascar - September 30, 2019