Magwinya-recipe is a traditional dish from Northeastern Madagascar. It is one of the most popular dishes in Madagascar and is often served at family gatherings or when someone has come for a visit. A typical Magwinya-recipe consists of vegetables such as potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and eggplant; meat such as goat meat, beef, chicken, and lamb; eggs such as duck eggs and other domestic (breed) eggs; spice such as saffron and caraway. In addition to these ingredients, one may also include rice and sometimes even sugar.
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Ingredient for Magwinya-Recipe
The main ingredient of the Magwinya-recipe is a local type of Nutmeg, sometimes even known as “Queen’s Neck”. This Nutmeg may be roasted or raw and it is ground down to a fine powder. Then, it is combined with milk or vegetable oil and one may flavor the sauce with different herbs and spices, and lard. Sometimes, saffron is added to give a reddish color to the sauce.
Other than these ingredients, one may want to add some cheese to the dish. However, there are certain countries that forbid the consumption of cheese in their cuisine. So, if one decides to add cheese to the Magwinya-recipe, then it would have to be done very carefully. One must be sure that the cheese is not too hard or soft or else it may curdle the meat.
Another important ingredient in the Magwinya-recipe is white wine. It may be Sagrada Estrella, Malaga or other red wines. The important thing about white wine is that it is a dry one. Brown or tannic wine will ferment and may cause the meat to curdle while white wine is sweet and therefore, preferred.
Extra Ingredients
One may also use onions and garlic in this type of food dish. However, one must make sure that they are not over-boiled or they will stick to the marinade. The onions should be chopped coarsely. Before adding them, one must make sure that all the ingredients are mixed well.
After the onion and garlic are chopped, they may be added to a pan and brought to a boil. Then, they may be added to the marinade mixture or the marinade itself. When the mixture starts to simmer, it will produce a delicious sauce that is very tasty when eaten with bread.
The last ingredient that one needs to buy to make their own Magwinya-recipe is rice. But rice must be used only once. If one has cooked rice previously, it is best to use dry rice. It is always better to use long grain rice as it lasts longer. After the rice is cooked, it can be added to the sauce. When serving the meal, the rice should be served on top of the prepared chicken curry.
Method of Making Magwinya-Recipe
In order to make Magwinya-recipe a more authentic one, it is advisable to soak the rice overnight in water. This way, the rice will have an extended shelf life and it will taste much better. This type of rice may be bought from a supermarket or ordered online. It can also be prepared in many ways; some people add onions and garlic and make it into a stir-fry, while some may add tomato paste and mix it with the rice.
If one wants to make a meat-based Magwinya-recipe, then a few drops of vinegar may be added to the water. The vinegar adds a wonderful flavor to the dish. But one should try not to let the vinegar-water mixture come into contact with the raw meat. The taste of the vinegar may be ruined if it comes into contact with the meat.
To make Magwinya-recipe a glass of soya sauce may be added. Soy sauce is a good alternative for beer, which tends to make people’s taste buds run. If one adds vegetables to the recipe (such as onions), then it will be easier to digest. But when adding meat to the recipe, make sure one adds a lot of spice to ward off any bad tastes that may be caused by the meat.
At the Last
The last ingredient that one has to add to make Magwinya-recipe a good meal is seasonings. Although, this is optional, when adding seasonings it is best to keep in mind what kind of taste one is aiming for. This can be achieved through the use of different spices such as oregano, red pepper flakes, Cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic, etc. One also has to experiment with the ingredients in creating a mix that will suit the taste of everyone who will partake of the dish. To be able to achieve this, one should make sure that each person in the family has his or her own personal preference. Also, one should choose the spices that one finds appealing in accordance with the tastes of the other members of the family.