Pom — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A beloved Surinamese casserole of grated taro root (pomtajer) layered with seasoned chicken, citrus juice, and spices, baked until golden with a crispy top and creamy interior.

Ingredients

1kg pomtajer (taro root), peeled and grated
800g chicken thighs, bone-in
3 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
Juice of 3 bitter oranges or mix of orange and lemon
2 tbsp butter
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
200ml chicken stock

Instructions

1 Season chicken with garlic, salt, pepper, and half the citrus juice. Brown in oil until golden, then simmer in stock until cooked through. Shred the meat and reserve the cooking liquid.
2 Peel and finely grate the pomtajer. Mix with remaining citrus juice immediately to prevent browning. The mixture should be thick and slightly fibrous.
3 Saute onions until soft, add tomato paste and cook two minutes. Combine with shredded chicken, bouillon, nutmeg, and some cooking liquid.
4 Layer half the pomtajer mixture in a greased baking dish. Spread the chicken filling evenly, then top with remaining pomtajer. Dot with butter.
5 Bake at 180C for one hour until the top is deep golden brown and crispy. Let rest fifteen minutes before cutting into squares.

Did You Know?

Pom is considered the national dish of Suriname and no birthday or holiday celebration is complete without it. Its origins trace to Sephardic Jewish settlers who adapted local ingredients.