Pom

History

Pom, a gratin of grated taro and chicken stewed with bitter citrus, is an emblematic festive dish of Suriname’s Javanese community, descended from indentured laborers who came from the Dutch East Indies at the end of the 19th century. The name “pom” reportedly derives from the Dutch word “pomtajer,” referring to the taro variety used.

Traditionally served at major family and religious occasions, pom illustrates Suriname’s multicultural diversity, where Javanese, Creole, Hindustani, and Dutch cuisines have blended over successive waves of migration.

Ingredients — serves 6

• 1 kg pomtajer (taro) root, grated
• 800 g chicken pieces
• 2 bitter oranges (or 1 orange + lemon juice)
• 2 onions
• 3 tomatoes
• Nutmeg
• Broth, salt, pepper

Pom, step by step

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in bitter orange juice, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes.
2. Sauté the onions and crushed tomatoes until you get a fragrant sauce base.
3. Add the marinated chicken and let it brown, then simmer in this sauce for 30 minutes.
4. Mix the freshly grated taro with a little of the cooking broth and grated nutmeg.
5. Layer grated taro at the bottom of a baking dish, add the chicken and its sauce, then cover with a second layer of taro.
6. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes until the top turns golden and slightly cracked.

Cooking method

Technique: a layered gratin baked in the oven, where the grated taro gradually absorbs the tangy juices from the marinated chicken.

Traditional equipment: a clay baking dish, inherited from Dutch cooking techniques adopted by the local Javanese community.

Signs it’s ready: the top should turn golden and slightly crack without burning; the taro should stay soft and tender, not soggy, inside.

Nutrition, per serving

Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided across six servings.

Note on the technique: pom’s defining step — layering raw grated taro root around a pre-cooked chicken filling, then baking the whole gratin — changes the dish’s texture more than its raw composition. The taro absorbs the tangy, marinated cooking liquid as it bakes, which is where most of this dish’s carbohydrate and fibre (8 g per serving, notably high for a baked gratin) come from, rather than from any added starch or thickener.

Economic context

Suriname’s food economy is shaped by its position between South America and the Caribbean, with a meaningfully higher daily cost of a healthy diet than most of its regional neighbours — a reflection of a small, import-dependent market. Pom itself, built around taro and chicken rather than any imported specialty, sits well within that budget; it is festive because of the occasion it marks, not because its ingredients are unusually costly.

Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in Suriname generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.

Who this dish suits

What about you?

In your opinion, what’s the best place or restaurant to try good pom?

Also worth trying