National Dish Suriname: Surinaamse Broodje Pom (Recipe)
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Broodje Pom is Suriname’s great festive casserole served in a bread roll, and in Amsterdam, where the Surinamese community brought it, it is a lunchtime institution. Grated pomtajer root is baked with citrus-marinated chicken into a dense, tangy casserole, then a warm slab of it goes into a soft bun with piccalilli and peanut sauce.
About Surinaamse Broodje Pom
Broodje Pom is a hearty sandwich that serves the beloved festive bake pom inside a crisp roll. The base is grated pomtajer root, baked together with spiced chicken into a juicy casserole and topped with piccalilli and peanut sauce. Pom itself is the centrepiece of every Surinamese birthday and celebration; putting it in a bun was the natural next step, and the result is one of the great sandwiches of the Dutch-speaking world.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 250 g pomtajer, peeled and finely grated (taro root from an Asian grocer as a substitute)
- 200 g chicken thighs, boned and cut into pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 orange and 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter, for the sauce
- Salt, pepper and a little nutmeg
- 2 small bread rolls
- Piccalilli, to serve
Shopping for the ingredients
Pomtajer (also sold as pomtayer) is the authentic root and turns up frozen and grated in Surinamese and Dutch shops — that saves a great deal of work. Taro is the closest substitute. The orange juice is not optional: the citrus is what gives pom its characteristic tang and keeps the root from tasting flat.
Preparing the dish
Marinate the chicken in the orange and lime juice with salt and pepper for at least half an hour. Grate the pomtajer finely. This is laborious by hand, so use a food processor if you have one, and work quickly since it discolours. Heat the oven to 180 °C and grease a small baking dish.
Step-by-step instructions
- Marinate the chicken pieces in the orange and lime juice, salt and pepper for 30 minutes.
- Fry the onion until soft, add the chicken with its marinade and the tomato paste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is just cooked.
- Mix the grated pomtajer with the breadcrumbs, nutmeg and a little of the cooking liquid.
- Layer half the root mixture in a greased dish, add the chicken, then the remaining root.
- Bake at 180 °C for 45–55 minutes, until set and golden on top.
- Let it rest 10 minutes, then cut squares and serve in the rolls with piccalilli and peanut sauce.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
The pom itself is naturally lactose-free; use gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free roll for a fully gluten-free version. Served as a casserole with rice rather than in a bun, it needs no adaptation at all.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Replace the chicken with jackfruit or oyster mushrooms, marinated the same way in citrus. Both take the marinade well and give a comparable texture. The pomtajer base is entirely plant-based, so the rest of the dish needs no changes at all.
More tips and tricks
Do not skimp on the citrus; pom without enough orange juice tastes muted and heavy. Grate the root as finely as you can, since coarse shreds stay fibrous. And let the bake rest before cutting, or it collapses when you lift a square out.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Some families add a splash of chicken stock for a moister bake, others include salted meat for depth. A scotch bonnet in the marinade brings the heat many Surinamese prefer. Cassava can replace part of the pomtajer for a slightly different texture.
Ingredient substitutions
Taro, malanga or a mixture of cassava and potato all stand in for pomtajer. Chicken can be replaced by salted beef, which is traditional in some versions. Any soft white roll works for the sandwich.
Drink pairing ideas
Surinamese dawet or a cold Parbo beer are the local choices. Ginger beer suits the citrus tang well. In Amsterdam a broodje pom is usually washed down with whatever is in the fridge, which is entirely in keeping.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve broodje pom warm, with the pom cut into a generous square, a spoonful of piccalilli and a drizzle of peanut sauce. Wrap it in paper for eating on the go. Leftover pom keeps well and reheats beautifully, which is why it is always made in a large dish.
A bit of history
Pom is generally traced to the Surinamese Jewish community, who adapted an European-style casserole to the root vegetables available in the colony, and it became the celebration dish of the entire country. Migration brought it to the Netherlands, where broodje pom is now sold in Surinamese tokos across Amsterdam and The Hague. It offers a genuine window onto Surinamese cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Surinaamse Broodje Pom
Broodje Pom is Suriname’s citrus-tangy root and chicken bake served warm in a soft roll with piccalilli. Grate the root finely, be generous with the orange juice, and let it rest before cutting.
