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Pom
Suriname's festive baked chicken under a citrus-scented layer of grated pomtajer root
Pom is Suriname's celebration dish, baked for birthdays and holidays in Paramaribo and by the Surinamese community in the Netherlands: a layer of grated pomtajer root (a type of taro) mixed with citrus juice, then a layer of chicken stewed with onion, tomato, nutmeg and pickled peppers, then more pomtajer, baked until the top is golden. It is usually eaten on a roll as a "broodje pom". The mistake is skipping the citrus: pomtajer must be mixed with orange or lime juice, which gives the dish its fragrance. Chef's tip: frozen grated pomtajer from Surinamese or Caribbean shops saves the hard grating; if you can't find it, use grated taro or a mix of taro and potato.
- Total time
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the pomtajer
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Melt 2 ⅛ oz butter in a large pan and cook 3 onions for 8 minutes until soft. Add 2 ¼ lb boneless chicken thighs and cook for 8 minutes until it changes colour.
16 minStep 2: Add 3 tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 3 tbsp chopped celery leaves, 1 Madame Jeanette or scotch bonnet chilli, 1 chicken stock cube, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, then uncover until the sauce is thick. The chicken must reach 165°F.
30 minStep 3: Mix 3 ⅓ lb grated pomtajer with 2 oranges, 1 lime, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and half of ⅔ oz butter. Leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 25 x 35 cm baking dish and spread half the pomtajer in it. Spread the chicken and its sauce over, then cover with the rest of the pomtajer and smooth the top.
Step 5: Brush with the rest of ⅔ oz butter and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the centre is piping hot.
70 minStep 6: Rest 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature on soft rolls. Keeps 3 days chilled.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pom take?
- About 160 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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