Surinamese Pom
A celebratory Surinamese casserole of grated pomtajer and citrus-seasoned chicken baked until deeply golden.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Chef's knife
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into large irregular pieces
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock
Pom Mixture
- 3 lb frozen grated pomtajer thawed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt or to taste
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
Instructions
Cook the Chicken:
- Heat oven to 375 F (190 C). Season chicken with salt, pepper, and allspice. Brown it in oil in batches and set aside.
- Cook onions and celery until soft, add garlic and tomato paste, then stir in stock. Simmer 5 minutes and return chicken to the pot for 10 minutes.
Mix and Bake:
- Combine pomtajer, orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and most of the chicken cooking liquid. The mixture should be thick but spoonable.
- Spread half the pom mixture in a buttered baking dish, arrange chicken irregularly over it, and cover with the remaining pom. Dot with butter.
- Bake for 75 to 90 minutes until set, moist inside, and broadly browned on top. Rest 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pomtajer is not interchangeable with raw taro; use a product specifically sold for Surinamese pom.
- If the mixture seems stiff before baking, add a little more chicken cooking liquid.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 34gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 780mgFiber: 6gSugar: 20g