Malagasy · main

Romazava

Romazava reads umami 7.9, richness 6.9 and allium 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Malagasy main, about 2 hr 27 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.9 · Richness 6.9 · Allium 4.3 · Salinity 3.7 · Nutty 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Sourness 2.0 · Fruity 1.8 · Smoke 1.8 · Sweetness 1.7 · Bitterness 1.6 · Earthy 1.0 · Heat 0.6 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (14)

• boneless beef chuck — 800 g
• pork belly — 300 g
• peanut oil — 41 g
• onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• fresh ginger — 20 g
• tomatoes — 350 g
• water — 1500 g
• bredes mafana — 200 g
• mustard greens — 300 g
• watercress — 200 g
• salt — 10 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 5 g
• long-grain white rice — 400 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 27 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 119.3 kcal, 5.3 g protein, 7.1 g fat, 8.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat and brown the beef and pork together for 10 minutes, in two batches, until well coloured.
2. Lower the heat, add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook 6 minutes until soft.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook 8 minutes until they collapse.
4. Pour in the water, bring to a bare simmer and cook 90 minutes uncovered, skimming once, until the beef is tender and the broth has concentrated.
5. Add the mustard greens and watercress and simmer 10 minutes.
6. Add the bredes mafana last and simmer only 5 minutes. Mafana contains spilanthol: it produces a distinct tingling, faintly numbing buzz on the lips and tongue, similar in kind to Sichuan pepper, and it fades if the leaves are boiled too long. That prickle is the point of romazava, not an accident.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Boil the rice 18 minutes and serve the romazava over it, broth and all.
8. Substitutions: sunflower oil can stand in for the peanut oil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Feijoada à Portuguesa — Portuguese
• Harissa Meatball Subs — Middle Eastern
• Beef and Chickpea Harissa Stew — Middle Eastern
• Rabo de Toro al Vino de Montilla — Spanish · Andalusia
• Grillades and Grits — Cajun/Creole

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.