Malagasy hot sweet rice-based breakfast porridge — broken rice cooked with water, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar until thick and creamy. The Malagasy version of the universal African-rooted morning porridge tradition, served hot in deep bowls.
Tô gasy is the Malagasy adaptation of the morning porridge tradition shared across Africa — rice replaces millet or corn. Sweetened, spiced, and milk-enriched, it's energy-dense and warming. Sold from breakfast kiosks alongside mofo gasy and strong coffee; also made at home daily. Children grow up on it.
Spooned from a warm bowl, the rice is tender-creamy and the porridge thick and aromatic. Cinnamon and vanilla hit first; brown sugar rounds it out; condensed milk drizzled on top adds caramel richness. Energy-dense — a Malagasy childhood breakfast. Adults pair it with strong coffee.
Broken rice gelatinizes faster than whole rice grains, releasing starch into the cooking liquid and naturally thickening the porridge. Milk added at the start (not the end) integrates the dairy protein and fat throughout. Cinnamon and vanilla's volatile aromatic compounds (cinnamaldehyde, vanillin) survive 20-min cooking. Brown sugar adds molasses depth; condensed milk adds Maillard-browned milk sugars.
Variations
Coconut tô gasy uses half coconut milk + half regular milk. Banana tô gasy adds 2 sliced ripe bananas at the end. Chocolate tô gasy adds 30 g cocoa powder — modern variant. Vegan tô gasy uses coconut milk only + maple syrup.
On the Palate
Where Tô Gasy sits in the Malagasy flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
9 steps · 25 min active + 5 min waiting
- 13 min
Rinse 200 g broken rice (or short-grain white rice) under cold water until water runs clear. Drain.
- 23 min
In a pot, combine rice + 700 ml water + 300 ml whole milk + ¼ tsp salt + 1 cinnamon stick + 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise) + 2 cloves.
- 319 min
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer covered 18 min, stirring occasionally.
Watch outKeep it at a low simmer and stir now and then — broken rice thickens fast and sticks the moment you look away, so don't let the bottom catch.
- 43 min
Check texture: rice should be tender, mixture creamy. If too thick, add splash of hot milk; if too loose, simmer uncovered 3 min more.
Watch outJudge it by feel — the grains soft, the porridge creamy and pourable; too thick, splash in hot milk, too loose, simmer a few minutes uncovered.
- 53 min
Stir in 100 g brown sugar (or to taste) + 1 tsp ground cinnamon + 2 tbsp condensed milk (optional but traditional).
- 61 min
Discard whole cinnamon stick, cloves, and vanilla bean (scrape seeds from the bean back into the pot).
- 71 min
Taste; adjust sweetness.
- 81 min
Optional: stir in 30 g chopped roasted peanuts for texture.
- 92 min
Serve hot in deep bowls. Drizzle with additional condensed milk on top.
