Broodje pom

Ingredients

Pom

• 1.5 kgpomtajer, grated
• or 1.5 kg taro root, grated
• 1large chicken, jointed
• 2onions, chopped
• 3tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoonstomato paste
• juice of 3 oranges
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2chicken stock cubes
• 2 tablespoonsbutter
• 1 teaspoonnutmeg
• salt and black pepper

Sometimes added

• 100 gsalted beef, diced
• 1Madame Jeanette chilli, whole

To serve

• 8soft white rolls
• butter, for the rolls
• sambal or chilli sauce

Directions

1. Put the jointed chicken in a large pot. Cover it with water and add a stock cube. Bring it to a simmer and skim off the foam.
2. Let it cook for about forty minutes. The meat should come away from the bone easily. Lift the chicken out and keep the stock. Let the chicken cool enough to handle. Pull the meat off the bones in large pieces. Discard the skin and the bones. Melt the butter in a wide pan.
3. Fry the chopped onions for about six minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cook them down for about five minutes. Add the diced salted beef if you are using it. Add the pulled chicken meat and stir it through.
4. Add about 400 ml of the reserved chicken stock. Add the second stock cube and the nutmeg. Season it well with salt and black pepper. Squeeze in the orange juice and the lemon juice. Do not leave it out or reduce it much.
5. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and the citrus. It should be markedly sharp at this stage. Take the pan off the heat entirely. Add the grated pomtajer and stir it right through. Add more stock if it seems very stiff. It should be loose enough to spread but not soupy. Add the whole chilli if you want a little heat.
6. Heat the oven to 180C before you start. Butter a large deep baking dish generously. Spoon the mixture in and level the surface. Bake it for about seventy-five minutes. Judging when it is done takes a look and a poke. Cover it with foil if the top browns too early. Give it longer if the centre is still loose. Let it stand for at least twenty minutes. Hot pom collapses when you try to lift it.
7. Cut a thick square of pom for each roll. Lift it in with a fish slice so it holds together. Set it into the roll and press the top down gently. Add sambal or chilli sauce if you want heat. Serving it is done warm or at room temperature.

Technique

• Pom is the Surinamese celebration dish and appears at nearly every birthday party, with the roll version sold at takeaways in the Netherlands.
• Bitter orange juice is traditional, and a mix of sweet orange and lemon gives a close approximation.

Substitutions

• Fresh or frozen grated taro root stands in for pomtajer, which is hard to find outside Surinamese shops.
• Sweet orange with lemon replaces bitter orange juice closely.

Variations

• Some households add salted beef alongside the chicken.
• A version with more citrus is preferred in some families.
• Pomtajer is also cooked into soups and stews in Suriname.

History

Suriname’s birthday-party sandwich, also sold at Surinamese takeaways in the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions

What is Broodje pom?

Broodje pom is a street food from Suriname: soft roll filled with baked pomtajer casserole, eaten at parties. Suriname’s birthday-party sandwich, also sold at Surinamese takeaways in the Netherlands.

How long does Broodje pom take to make?

Broodje pom takes 45 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 8 rolls. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Broodje pom?

Yes, within limits. Fresh or frozen grated taro root stands in for pomtajer, which is hard to find outside Surinamese shops. Sweet orange with lemon replaces bitter orange juice closely.

What is the most important thing to get right in Broodje pom?

Add about 400 ml of the reserved chicken stock. Add the second stock cube and the nutmeg. Season it well with salt and black pepper. Squeeze in the orange juice and the lemon juice. Do not leave it out or reduce it much.