My main point is to show how Malagasy eat rice. They eat
it free times a day such as morning for breakfast, noon for lunch and evening
for dinner. However I will focus only on breakfast. Most of time Malagasy people eat “sabeda” for
breakfast.
First of all, “sabeda” (Rice soup) is very quick meal and
easy to cook. It is one way of Malagasy
to cook rice. Everyone could cook it about ten minute’s maxims. It does not
take so much time for cooking. In addition, “Sabeda or Sosoa” is called “sabeda” because
it is light, watery and soft food. “Sabeda” is tasty and an exceptional food,
because it contains vitamin A and little calcium. As we know in the morning Malagasy people
always need a light food. Therefore, “sabeda” is especially for morning food of
everyone who wants light food for the breakfast even you are not Malagasy. In addition, “sabeda” is for the busy and
hurry people in morning. “Sabeda” is also called “SOSOA” in part of Madagascar’s
region. "Sosoa" is quit means “sweetable” in English. It gives good smell in the cocking
pot that makes you exciting to eat. It takes away your morning hungriness. When it is mixing with milk or kebabs the
taste is become more and more tasty. In general, most of Malagasy people like
to eat “sabeda” with “loko sira/firiry” "salted or grilled fish” in English, with kebabs of meat,
eggs, and sugar. As an experience I prefer to eat “sabeda” with milk of cow or fried fish with relish ( see photo).
Sometimes “sabeda” is an economic food, because one cup of
rice is enough for five people. Thanks to “sabeda” most of Malagasy people do
not spend much quantity of rice in the morning. It helps them to manage their
stock of rice. For instance, one family of four people could conserve one sack
of rice during three months if they eat “sabeda” for breakfast. It is a reason
why many Malagasy students eat “sabeda” in the morning; it is not only for the
matter of containing vitamin A and little calcium, but to keep the stock
safely. “Sabeda” could save a problem of
scarcity of rice for the most of Malagasy people. It is the reason why in
Toliara the south of Madagascar, most of time they always eat “sabeda”, not only
in the morning but during in the evening too. One of my friend said that they buy
a sack of rice three times per years because of eating “sabeda”.
“sabeda” is a first enjoyable of Malagasy Cuisine. It gives them much opportunity for having vitamin A and little calcium
from food in the morning. In addition, it is light and tasty good food for
morning. In other words, “sabeda” could manage the quantity of rice that
Malagasy people spend per year.
