Malagasy cuisine encompasses the many diverse culinary traditions of the Indian Ocean island of
Madagascar. Foods eaten in Madagascar reflect the influence of Southeast Asian, African, Indian, Chinese and European migrants that have settled on the island since it was first populated by seafarers from
Borneo between 100 CE and 500 CE. Rice, the cornerstone of the
Malagasy diet, was cultivated alongside
tubers and other Southeast Asian staples by these earliest settlers. Their diet was supplemented by foraging and hunting wild game, which contributed to the extinction of the island's bird and
mammal megafauna. These food sources were later complemented by beef in the form of
zebu introduced into Madagascar by East African migrants arriving around 1,000 CE. Trade with
Arab and
Indian merchants and European transatlantic traders further enriched the island's culinary traditions by introducing a wealth of new fruits, vegetables and seasonings.