Easy Vary Amin'anana recipe

Recipe for Vary Amin’Anana

‍To preface this, I must say that my first recollection of this recipe is from my childhood. It’s a norm for our Malagasy community in the DMV area to bring children to parties, functions which would sometimes go on until 3am. The hosts would have to make this beginning at 12am to get people sober enough to finally leave the party. So it definitely brings me a good chuckle when I am hankering for this recipe.

I finally got the idea to write down this recipe when I was living in Norway and was very homesick on one long winter day. I Facetimed my Bebe (Grandmother in Malagasy) and got her best version of the recipe. My Bebe is a big garlic and ginger gal so when I was recreating this recipe, the kitchen lit up and the aromas reminded me of home.

Vary amin’anana is a great stew composed of spinach, rice, and any ground meat/veggie variation you want! 

Malagasy spinach and ground beef stew recipe: vary amin anana (in Malagasy)

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time:

Serves: 4-5 people

• 2 frozen packet of spinach 450 g, or 3 cups collard greens or kale
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium White onion
• Ground beef 500 g
• 1 inch of Ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper for flavor; can also add onion and garlic powder for taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• For added flavor: add Sriracha or Malagasy sakay to serve

1. Prepare and finely chop up onions and garlic; mince 1 inch of ginger
2. Cook the ground beef in oil first until it's brown
3. As meat is cooking, prepare rice, either by rice cooker or in pot: (Cook rice (Boil rice with water twice its height; generally 1 cup rice, 2 cups water)
4. Take cooked meat out —> Then cook onion, tomato, garlic and ginger, and sauté until just tender.
5. Add your chosen greens and stir for 1 minute
6. Add bay leaves and everything together in 1 large pot and season according to your preference
7. Cover and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes, let simmer until rice is very soft or at consistency of personal preference
8. N.B. It should be kinda soupy
9. Serve warm and enjoy

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A video tutorial if needed by Ramonjy Tsiory!

Let us know if you prepared this recipe at madaliving@outlook.com! Everyone has different variations of this recipe so comment things you also add!