Lasary Legioma Tomato Relish Recipe | In Bibi's Kitchen

Name: Lasary Legioma (Tomato Relish) Recipe from “In Bibi’s Kitchen”
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 large tomatoes, finely diced; 6 scallions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice; 1 teaspoon minced ginger; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Small handful cilantro leaves (or parsley), minced

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The bright acidic flavors of tomato, ginger, cilantro, lime juice and scallions combine to create this easy-to-make and colorful fresh relish from Madagascar called Lasary Legioma. It’s the prefect recipe to make at the height of tomato season when summer’s favorite fruit is at its best.

This tomato relish is typical of the island’s cuisine and is often served with a variety of other small side dishes called laoka, and rice to accompany a main course.

How to Use Lasary Legioma (Tomato Relish)

It’s similar in texture to pico de gallo or bruschetta and can be used in that way as well. I like to put a bowl of it out on the table for guests with some root vegetable chips for a pre-dinner snack.

Here are some additional serving suggestions:

Serve it with soft cheeses and grilled bread or crackers
As an accompaniment to fish for dinner
Pair it with grilled shrimp
With an omelet for breakfast
Add it to a grain bowl
Toss it into a salad
Serve it on a sandwich

‘In Bibi’s Kitchen’ Lasary Legioma Recipe in a dark bowl with a wooden spoon. — Alison Bickel

Quality Counts

Since there are so few ingredients here, make sure they’re of the highest quality. You can use any tomato you like (a combination of colors is nice), just make sure they are very ripe and juicy. Don’t bother removing the seeds. You want the whole tomato diced up with all of its flavors and textures.

How to Store Lasary Legioma

This relish will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. You may want to re-season the dish.

A Little Bit about Madagascar

Madagascar is one of the world’s 5 largest islands and home to 25 million people. It sits off the coast of Mozambique and it’s considered one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet—more than 90 percent of the species found there cannot be found anywhere else. It’s also the world’s largest supplier of vanilla.

East African Tomato Relish in a bowl with flat bread and crumbly cheese above it. — Alison Bickel

About “In BiBi’s Kitchen

In the gorgeous storytelling cookbook, “In Bibi’s Kitchen: The Recipes & Stories of Grandmothers from Eight African Countries That Touch the Indian Ocean” by Somali chef Hawa Hassan with food writer Julia Turshen readers are invited on a journey to explore the countries, food and meet the people from eight east African nations.

Learning about each country and some of the women behind the recipes provides context to the delicious food on your table. It’s the perfect book for someone wanting more than just a recipe.

Lasary Legioma (Tomato Relish) Recipe from “In Bibi’s Kitchen”

Prep Time 10 mins

Rest Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 6 servings

3 large tomatoes, finely diced
6 scallions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Small handful cilantro leaves (or parsley), minced

Combine ingredients:

In a medium bowl, place the tomatoes, scallions, lime juice, ginger, salt, and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving so all of the flavors have a chance to marinate together.

Alison Bickel

Alison Bickel
How to store leftovers:

Leftovers can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (bring to room temperature and season to taste again before serving).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
24	Calories
0g	Fat
5g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	24
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 112mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 18mg	92%
Calcium 22mg	2%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 271mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.