On almost all the territory of Madagascar, when we think the word "Koba", we think directly to children, the snack or dessert. in Madagascar, This word comes from the Swahili word 'k'uba' which means glue or vegetable starch. Most often prepared with rice flour mixed in water and then cooked slowly. By extension, all sticky products, gums and here in our topic, sticky rice cake flour. Succulent Madagascar cake : KOBA ([ˈkubə̥])
Koba is a typical Madagascar cake, which would have Arabo-African origins. A rice flour, well-jacked peanut and honey or sugar cane. All wrapped in banana leaves and steamed in a artisanal oven. Enjoy it at any time and in any place especially on the central highlands of Madagascar. It serves as a dessert or just to eat for tea. This is a must-Malagasy flavors during your trip to Madagascar. " Good appetit" ! »
There are two varieties of Koba :
The peanuts Koba (Koba peanuts):
This cylindrical cake over ten centimeters in diameter and whose length differs according to the length of the oven wherein it is cooked. Peanuts are ground and mixed with a little sugar and honey. Shaped round we recognize its dark caramel color, or even black in the middle is actually the sweetest part, and the light contour colors is part mealy and bland.
And «Koba-Vary», ( Rice koba):
recognized by its grayish color and surrounded by small slice of green leaves called "longoza", a wild variety of ginger.
we recognizes that cakeby its shape, wrapped rectangularly. In neighborhoods of the Malagasy capital, or in bus stations, in parking lots, we can hear street vendors yelling “moforavina” they call as well “KOBA”, .
“O hot koba” to say “Here Koba all hot”... They carry on the head, in a basket which holds heat well since it is to consume hot.
There are also other varieties of "Koba" but they are more localized and more endemic to regions of the island.
Nowadays, these traditional cakes have regained some interests beacause, ignored since long time due to their countryside origin , they were shunned by the urban population. They are exported as well. A revival of the tradition of this rapid globalization and "standardizing". Long live the "Koba".
