National Dish of Madagascar Romazava

Take your taste buds on a journey to Madagascar with Romazava, a hearty, soul-warming stew where tender meats, vibrant greens, and bold spices come together in perfect harmony.

Ingredients

beef chuck/zebu  meat (cut into bite sized pieces)		1 lb.
pork loin (cut into bite sized pieces)		1 lb.
skinless chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)		1 lb.
(14 oz.) can diced tomatoes		1
vegetable oil		2 tbsp.
beef / chicken stock		2 cups
yellow onion (diced)		½
cloves garlic (minced)		5
piece of ginger (peeled and minced)		2 ½ inch
serrano chili peppers (finely chopped)		3
bunch mustard greens (chopped)		1
bunch spinach / anamamy greens		1
bunch arugula / paracress greens		1
Salt
Pepper

Romazava is a stew made with meat and leafy greens. It is considered to be the national dish of Madagascar and is served with steamed  rice at almost every meal, together with sakay, a spicy condiment made of chilies, garlic, and ginger. Authentic Romazava is made with zebu meat and local greens grown there such as paracress, mustard greens, and anamamy but spinach and arugula are good substitutes.

Directions for Preparing Romazava

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven pot.

Add the beef/zebu meat to the pot and cook until brown on all sides.

• Stir in the can of diced tomatoes to the beef.

• Add the chili peppers, onion, garlic, and ginger to the beef and tomatoes.

• Pour in the stock, cover the pot, and let the ingredients simmer over low heat for thirty 
  
• (0:30) minutes.

• Add the chicken and pork to the stew, then bring to a boil.

• Reduce the heat and let it simmer for fifteen (0:15) minutes.

• Add the greens to the pot, then place the lid on the pot and allow them to wilt into the stew.

• Cook the stew for ten (0:10) minutes more.

• Season the stew with salt and pepper.

• Stir the ingredients together and then turn off the heat.

• Serve the Romazava over hot steamed rice, together with a bit of sakay condiment.

Eunice Shin