Malagasy Breakfast “SABEDA”

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.