Pom

Pom (Surinamese Pomtajer and Chicken Casserole)

Suriname's national festive dish: grated pomtajer root layered over citrus-marinated chicken and baked until set, tangy, and golden on top. It traces to the Jewish community of Suriname and is served year-round at holidays and family celebrations.

Prep

35 min

Cook

75 min

Total

110 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) pomtajer root (taro), fresh, peeled; do not substitute dasheen or eddoe without adjusting moisture
• •700 g (1½ lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, thighs stay juicier than breast in the long bake
• •60 ml (¼ cup) fresh orange juice, strained; about 2 oranges
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, about ½ lemon
• •200 g (1 medium) yellow onion, finely chopped
• •150 g (1 medium) ripe tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• •3 g (1½ tsp) salt, plus more to taste
• •3 g (1 tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •2 g (½ tsp) ground nutmeg
• •25 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the dish

Steps

1. 1 Trim the chicken of excess fat and cut into roughly 2 cm (¾ in) pieces. In a non-reactive bowl, combine the chicken with the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, chopped onion, tomato, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
2. 2 Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Grease a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish with butter.
3. 3 Peel the pomtajer root with a sturdy vegetable peeler or knife. Wearing kitchen gloves helps, as it can irritate skin. Working over a bowl, grate the root on the medium holes of a box grater. You should have about 900 g (2 lb) grated. Do not rinse; the natural moisture is needed.
4. 4 Squeeze the grated pomtajer firmly in small handfuls to remove excess liquid, then return it to a dry bowl. Loosen the shreds with a fork so they separate.
5. 5 Stir the marinated chicken (with all its juices) into the grated pomtajer until evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt; the root is mild and benefits from a touch more seasoning.
6. 6 Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish, pressing it down firmly with the back of a spoon so there are no air pockets. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top.
7. 7 Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
8. 8 Remove the foil and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is set, golden brown, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean with no pink juices. Internal temperature of the chicken should read at least 74 °C (165 °F) on an instant-read thermometer.
9. 9 Let the pom rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into squares. It firms up as it cools. Serve warm, traditionally with rice, a simple salad, or just on its own.