Malagasy Monkfish Curry
Serve over steamed basmati rice. Garnish with more cilantro and lime wedges.
Tag: East African
Romazava
Romazava
This is the first recipe from the East African island of Madagascar! Romazava happens to be the island nation’s national dish. This one pot meal consists of a variety of meats stewed with a bunch of greens. Traditionally, romazava is made with zebu. You are obviously going to have a hard time acquiring zebu meat, so a combination of beef, pork, and chicken is substituted. The greens used are mustard and 2 other greens that aren’t accessible, ananamy and paracress greens. Spinach and arugula are suitable replacements.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chuck roast cut into small cubes
- 1 lb pork sirloin cut into small cubes
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into small cubes
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 small onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2” ginger peeled and minced
- 3 serrano peppers seeded and chopped
- 1 bunch mustard greens chopped
- 1 bunch spinach
- 1 bunch arugula
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in the beef and brown for 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes.
- Add in the onions, garlic, ginger, and serrano peppers.
- Pour in the stock. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add in the pork and chicken. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Place the mustard greens on top of the stew; followed by the spinach, then arugula. Cover. Simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes without stirring.
- The greens will wilt and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir the greens into the stew.
Red Lentil Soup
Red Lentil Soup
I know what you’re thinking. Lentils are boring. That’s only because you associate lentil soup with what your grand parents ate. This is definitely not that. This Mauritian soup has multiple influences of Chinese(the shallots) and Indian(the chilies and lentils) cuisines. The soup has a ton of flavor while simultaneously being vegan. Make a double batch, because after your first bowl, you’ll consider seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large shallot diced
- 1 red bird’s eye chili finely chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes ciced
- 2 tsp thyme
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 medium carrots peeled; cut into small cubes
- salt to taste
Garnish
- green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallots for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, thyme, and chilies. Sauté for 2 minutes until aromatic.
- Stir in the lentils.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add in the carrots and simmer for 20 more minutes until they are soft.
- Season with salt.
Beef Suqaar
Beef Suqaar
Suqaar is one of the most popular dishes in Somali cuisine. It is simply beef or any other meat of your choosing simmered with carrots, potato, and green peppers. It is cooked until all of the liquid has evaporated. Suqaar has a slight Italian influence with the introduction of garlic and onions used as aromatics. It only uses salt as the seasoning, as the ingredients themselves create so much flavor. Serve suqaar with Somali spiced rice.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 serrano pepper left whole
- 1 1/2 lbs sirloin tip cut into 1” cubes
- 2 medium potatoes cut into 1” cubes
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 cup beef broth
- salt to taste
Garnish
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat up 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, green peppers, garlic, and serrano pepper for 5 minutes.
- Add in the beef, carrots, and potatoes.
- Pour in the beef stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
- If there’s any liquid left, turn the heat to high to cook it out. Season with salt.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.
