Romazava (Malagasy Beef and Greens Stew)
In short: Beef simmered with tomato, onion and ginger, then finished with a big handful of leafy greens. Madagascar's best-known stew, served over rice. It takes about 2 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 50 min
- Total
- 2 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Romazava is the stew most often named as Madagascar's national dish. Beef cooks in its own juices with onion, tomato, garlic and ginger, and a large pile of leafy greens goes in near the end, so the broth tastes fresh and green. In Madagascar the greens often include anamalaho, a flowering plant with a mild numbing effect. Cooks elsewhere can use mustard greens, watercress, bok choy or spinach. Serve it over plain rice with sakay on the side.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and brown the beef in two batches for about 8 minutes per batch. Set the meat aside.
- Cook the onions in the same pot for 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until they break down. Return the beef to the pot with the salt, pepper and water.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the beef is tender and the broth has reduced slightly.
- Add the sturdier greens first, such as mustard greens and bok choy, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and watercress and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until just wilted.
- Taste, adjust the salt and serve hot over rice, with the broth spooned on top and sakay on the side.
Tips
- Mix mild greens such as spinach with peppery ones such as mustard greens or watercress. The blend gets close to the slightly bitter, tingling taste of Malagasy brèdes.
- Pork or bone-in chicken thighs can replace the beef. Chicken needs only 30 minutes of simmering before the greens go in.
Questions and answers
What greens can I use for romazava?
Any mix of leafy greens works: mustard greens, watercress, bok choy, spinach or collards. Add the tougher ones first and the tender ones last.
Can I make romazava ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the beef a day ahead and refrigerate it in its broth, then reheat and add the greens fresh so they stay bright.
What do you serve with romazava?
Plain white rice, with the broth spooned over it. Sakay chili paste and a tomato relish such as lasary voatabia are the usual extras.
How long does it take to make Romazava (Malagasy Beef and Greens Stew)?
About 2 h 10 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Romazava (Malagasy Beef and Greens Stew)?
About 340 kcal per serving, with 33 g of protein, 9 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 340 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 640 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
