Recipes
Malagasy Lutheran Church (Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy, FLM)
Madagascar, the 4th largest island in the world, is home to many unique species of plants and animals thanks to its geographical isolation. Unfortunately, much of the land is suffering because the Malagasy people have herded and farmed land that once was tropical forest in order to survive. Many fruits and vegetables grow in Madagascar, including mangos, grapes, pineapples, avocados, lichee nuts, tomatoes, bananas, scallions and turnips. A famous food product is the vanilla bean, which is grown for export, but also is used extensively in flavoring local dishes. The native people are Malayan Polynesian, with Indian, African, Arab and European heritage as well, all of which contributes to an interesting cuisine.
Fruit Compote with Lichee Nuts
Salady Voankazo
Yields 1 quart, serving app. 8
In a 2-quart glass bowl, combine:
1 cup fresh pineapple in 1-inch pieces
1 cup cantaloupe in small pieces
1 cup oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced strawberries |
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Mix the fruits until well-blended.
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Pour:
1/2 cup canned lichees across top of fruit
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In a small saucepan, combine:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice |
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Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
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Add:
2 tablespoons vanilla extract to the syrup
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| Pour the hot syrup over the fruit and chill in the refrigerator for one hour. |
To serve, bring the salad to the table along with a small cruet of pure vanilla extract. Spoon the compote into small glass dishes and sprinkle with additional vanilla. |
Chicken with Garlic and Ginger
Akoho misy Sakamalao (ah-KOO-hoo mee-see sha-kah-mah-LAH-no)
Serves 5 to 6
The combination of garlic and ginger used in this dish is a common one in Malagasy cooking.
Cut in serving pieces:
3 pound chicken (remove skin if you prefer)
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Prepare:
2-inch piece fresh ginger root peeled and grated or crushed
6 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed |
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Rub ginger and garlic into the chicken. Sprinkle with a little salt. Place a small amount of oil in a large frying pan and gently cook chicken on low heat until done, about 40 minutes. Test to make sure chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Serve with cooked rice, which is a staple food in Madagascar.
If you wish to serve a meal, you might decorate the table with bright colors, and put a flower at each place. Orchids are likely too expensive, but you can use any nice flower. Cooked spinach and ripe sliced tomatoes could accompany the meal. It is not common practice to serve bread or rolls. If you want to eat in a true Malagasy style, you would serve the meal on a mat on the floor, with everyone gathered around the food, sharing from a common dish. A good beverage to serve would be tea, although we cannot usually find Malagasy tea in the U.S.
Recipe from Extending the Table: a world community cookbook by Joetta Handrich Schlabach, Herald, 1991, p. 230. |