February 2022

Recipe for the famous Ravitoto of Madagascar
The most famous dish on the big island is Ravitoto (crushed cassava leaves), which is eaten with rice by almost all Malagasy.

Nicolas Madagascar expert – Natura travel

Ravitoto is a high-fat dish in which the amount of oil and the quality of the meat are crucial. This dish is typically served with pork meat or Henakisoa in Malagasy, but if you do not eat pork, other meats such as beef or chicken can be substituted.

According to some historians, in the recipe for Ravitoto and Henakisoa (pork), only garlic and especially oil are used, rather than ginger or shallots.

The Malagasy New Year (literally translated into Malagasy as Taom-baovao Malagasy) is a national and popular holiday that has been resurgent since the early 1990s.

Nicolas Madagascar expert

Traditionally, January 1 marks the beginning of a new year. This day marks the first day of the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is widely celebrated as a holiday across the globe, including Madagascar. It is worth noting, however, that Madagascar had its own New Year’s celebration known as “Alahamady Be” or “Taom-baovao Malagasy” prior to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar during French colonisation. Unfortunately, this one-of-a-kind celebration has faded into obscurity over time.