Recipe

Africa → 🇲🇬 Madagascar → Analamanga (Antananarivo)
Ranovola
Malagasy · easy · serves 4
prep 2 min · cook 15 min
~92 cal · 2g protein · 20g carbs · 0g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Cup of pale golden rice water
🇲🇬 Analamanga (Antananarivo)
In Madagascar, no rice pot is wasted: after the rice is served, water is boiled in the toasted golden crust stuck to the bottom, dissolving it into ranovola — "golden water." Faintly smoky and nutty, this humble hot drink is the traditional accompaniment to a Malagasy meal.
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Ingredients
Serves 4 —
•
1/2 cup cooked rice (with a toasted pot crust)
•
4 cups water
•
to taste sugar, optional
Instructions
1
Let a thin layer of cooked rice toast and stick to the bottom of the pot until golden (do not burn it black).
2
Pour the water directly into the pot over the toasted crust.
3
Boil 10–15 minutes, scraping, until the water turns pale gold and smells nutty.
4
Strain into cups and serve hot, sweetened lightly if you like.
Malagasy household tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Analamanga (Antananarivo). Highland home of romazava, the broth of the Merina kings.
🗺️
Madagascar. An island apart — African, Asian, and wholly its own.
🌍
Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩‍🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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