AI-generated image
Ravitoto with pork
Malagasy pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with pork and coconut
Ravitoto sy henakisoa, cassava leaves with pork, is a favourite of the Malagasy highlands around Antananarivo and is served at family Sunday lunches with a mound of white rice. This dish contains pork. The cassava leaves are pounded to a dark green paste and simmered for a long time with fatty pork, garlic and ginger until rich and soft, often finished with coconut milk. The mistake is undercooking the cassava leaves: they must cook for at least an hour to be safe and lose their bitterness, so don't cut it short. Chef's tip: frozen pounded cassava leaves (sold as ravitoto, pondu or saka saka) save a lot of work.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and add 1 ¾ lb pork belly or shoulder. Cook for 15 minutes, turning, until the fat runs and the pork is golden.
15 minStep 2: Add 1 onion, 5 garlic cloves and ⅔ oz fresh ginger and cook for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
5 minStep 3: Squeeze excess water from 1 ¾ lb frozen pounded cassava leaves and add it to the pot with 3 ¼ cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt. Stir well, cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then and adding a splash of water if it sticks.
75 minStep 4: Stir in ¾ cup coconut milk and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until thick and glossy. The pork must be tender; whole pieces should reach at least 145°F and are best well above that for a soft texture.
10 minStep 5: Taste for salt and serve with 16 oz white rice and a spoon of sakay (chilli paste) for heat.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ravitoto with pork take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Anhui bamboo shoots with ham
When the spring bamboo shoots push up through the hillsides of Huizhou, farmhouse kitchens braise them with chunks of the region's cured ham. The salty, deep-flavoured ham seasons the broth, and the shoots soak it up while keeping their crunch and gentle sweetness. Serve it as a side dish with rice and other plates, or as a light lunch by itself. Fresh bamboo shoots must be peeled and boiled before use, because raw shoots contain natural toxins; canned shoots are already cooked and only need rinsing. Chef's tip: taste the broth before adding any salt, as the ham often brings all the salt the dish needs.
Peking duck (home style)
Beijing's famous roast duck is a banquet showpiece, carved at the table in restaurants near Qianmen and eaten in thin wheat pancakes with sticks of cucumber, spring onion and a smear of sweet bean sauce. Restaurants use hanging ovens and inflate the skin with air; at home a scald with boiling water, a sweet vinegar glaze and a night uncovered in the fridge get you most of the way there. The prize is the lacquered, glass-crisp skin, with the meat underneath still juicy. Serve it as the centrepiece of a family feast, followed by a simple soup made from the carcass. Chef's tip: dry the duck uncovered on a rack in the fridge for at least 12 hours; a dry skin is the whole secret.
Beef and broccoli stir-fry
A quick coat of cornflour and soy keeps thin slices of beef silky, and a hot wok gives the broccoli char without overcooking it. Faster than ordering in.