Recipe: Exploring the Traditional Romazava Malagasy Dish

On the East African island of Madagascar, Romazava is the island nation’s national traditional dish. This one-pot meal consists of various types of meat stew with greens you’ll love.  In traditional recipes, romazava is made from zebu meat, which is hard to come by, so you can use beef, pork, or chicken instead. 

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You can opt for spinach and arugula instead of mustard, anamamy, and paracress greens which aren’t available in Madagascar. It’s a combination of green leafy vegetables.

Romazawa is a healthy main course dish we’ll explore in this recipe guide. It’s one of the recognised side dishes of this country.

Stay with me as we prepare the national dish of Madagascar.

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How to Prepare Romazava 

Ingredients for Malagasy Romazava

• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 bunch spinach
• salt and pepper to taste
• Serrano chilies
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth
• 2” ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 bunch of mustard greens, chopped
• 1 lb pork sirloin, cut into small cubes
• 1 lb chuck roast, cut into small cubes
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 3 chili peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into small cubes

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Instructions

1. Heat up olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Similarly, you can use large dutch oven.  
2. Add in the beef and brown for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.
4. Stir in the tomatoes.
5. Pour in the beef broth and bring the liquid to a boil. 
6. Cover the pot with lid and reduce the heat. 
7. Simmer for 30 minutes in a covered container
8. Add in the pork and chicken and bring to a boil. The pieces should be bite-sized pieces. 
9. Simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Place the mustard local greens on top of the stew; followed by the spinach, then arugula. 
11. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes without stirring.
12. Allow the green to wilt into the stew.
13. Season to required flavors with salt and black pepper. 
14. Stir the greens into the stew.
15. Serve your perfect romazava with hot steamed rice a common staple. Rice is preferred as it soaks all those juices. Don’t mind if there are leftovers. Keep it in your fridge for a maximum of five days and when ready to eat, use microwave to warm and enjoy.

Video Credit: Clovissia Soanirina Touvent

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Clovissia Soanirina Touvent is on a mission to help you discover how to use spices wisely through Malagasy and world recipes.

She has almost 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship in addition to her cooking skills, which she shares periodically on her YouTube channel.

Romazava Malagasy Dish

Madagascar

Sedi Djentuh

On the East African island of Madagascar, Romazava is the island nation’s national dish. This one-pot meal consists of various types of meat stewed with greens you’ll love. In traditional recipes, romazava is made from zebu meat, which is hard to come by, so you can use beef, pork, or chicken instead.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine African

Servings 4

Calories 531 kcal

Equipment

Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 bunch spinach
• 1/2 tbsp each salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• 2 small yellow onion diced
• 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth
• 2 ” ginger peeled and minced
• 1 bunch of mustard greens chopped
• 1 lb pork sirloin cut into small cubes
• 1 lb chuck roast cut into small cubes
• 5 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
• 3 chili peppers seeded and chopped
• 1 lb chicken breast cut into small cubes

Instructions

 

• Heat up olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add in the beef and brown for 10 minutes.
• Add and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.
• Stir in the tomatoes.
• Pour in the beef stock and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pot and reduce the heat.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add in the pork and chicken and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Place the mustard greens on top of the stew; followed by the spinach, then arugula.
• Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes without stirring.
• Allow the green to wilt into the stew.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir the greens into the stew.
• Serve with hot boiled rice.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 74gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 225mgSodium: 870mgFiber: 53.6gSugar: 72.5gVitamin A: 261IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 5mg

Keyword African cuisine, Romazava

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