Traditional Zebu Dishes from Madagascar: Authentic Flavors and Recipes

Native Specialties in Madagascar

The Malagasy cuisine differs from our European cuisine, but is very rich. Don’t forget to try these dishes during your vacation in Madagascar!

The usual meal of a Malagasy is divided into two parts. A Malagasy will compose about 60% of his meal with a very large portion of rice (the Vary), which he decorates with the main dish (the Loaka), so Malagasy cuisine is more about the Loaka and the following article is about “Laoka” with beef. So here in Madagascar, it’s about Zebu beef.

Beef skewers or

Madagascar Beef Skewers: A Delicious Grilling Tradition

Beef skewers, known as Masikita in Madagascar, are the most popular form of grilling on the island, especially on Friday evenings (zoma mafinaritra – great Friday). To make this recipe simple, all you need are good spices from Madagascar and some imagination. It’s the perfect choice for relaxed evenings. Here, as on other islands in the Indian Ocean, Zebu fillet is eaten as an appetizer or Tsakitsaky. But locally, we enjoy these beef skewers or Masikita on the grill.

Masikita skewers with rice and tomato rougail.

Beef skewers or masikita ideally come from zebu fillet. This is the tenderest part of this unique cow family in Madagascar. This is also why it is preferred to make mosikiky, which is the other name for skewers. But in any case, the lack of zebu fillet would not deter fans from preparing it. As you will understand, all tender types of meat are good for making zebu skewers. Good spices like pepper combined with garlic and cayenne pepper are naturally enough. Below are the characteristics of the recipe.

Steps to prepare beef or masikita skewers

are highly fragrant, and their yellow flower with a numbing effect makes the mouth vibrate when crunched, resembling a spicy sensation… Legend has it that they are part of the 7 royal dishes of the island, and it was especially the dish of the Malagasy queens… It is also a very popular dish on Reunion Island, where it is called Romazave.

Serve this delicious dish with some good rice and, if possible, a good Rougail tomato!