#KnowYourCosafaCupCountries: Madagascar
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world
POLOKWANE – Ask any child between the ages of five and 12-years-old about Madagascar, they might break out in song, singing:
But, Madascar is more than just a movie, it is a country found in the Indian Ocean off the southeast cost of Africa, opposite Mozambique.
Even though Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippopotamus speak English, Madagascar’s official languages are Malagasy and French:
In the movie the animals eat food like grass, fruit and a juicy steak, but the cuisine of Madagascar is a reflection of all the Indonesian, Arab and African people who have settled in the country.
A traditional meal in this country usually includes one main dish consisting of meat, fish or poultry. With this they will serve a side dish of vegetables and a bowl of ro which is a mix of herbs, leaves and rice:
Popular dishes include:
Lasopy. This is a soup made with veal or beef broth and vegetables. It includes carrots, turnips, white potatoes, scallions, string beans, tomatoes and then salt. Once the soup has become thick, it is served with crackers or fresh bread.
Foza sy hena-kisoa. This is stir-fried pork and crab served with rice.
Ramazava: is considered the national dish of Madagascar, and each family makes their own version. It is a one-pot dish, usually eaten with rice for lunch or dinner. The basic ingredients are beef, pork and chicken cut into equal-size cubes, chopped onions, tomatoes, spinach and crushed garlic.
Koba is a popular snack on the country and consist of a helping of rice served with banana and seafood.
In Madagascar, it is not safe to drink tap water and bottled water is freely available. Along with this, most roadside stalls will sell Coca Cola. A popular drink for the locals is ranonapango, or burned rice water. This is made by adding boiled water to an overcooked pot of rice to the rice to get the flavour. The water is then poured out, chilled and served.
Beers available in Madagascar include Three Horses Beer (THB) and Gold.
Things to know about Madagascar:
- It’s the world’s fourth largest island
- They consume quite a lot of marijuana
- There are hardly any railways
- Bare-knuckle fighting is a national sport
- Most of Madagascar’s wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth
- Lemurs are sacred in Madagascar
- Tipping is not customary in hotels, however, restaurants tend to expect around 10%.
