Pom

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 kg taro tuber(s) (taro tuber, pomtayer), frozen, grated, from the Asian store
• 2 oranges, juice
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 750 g chicken fillet(s) or chicken parts
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 tomatoes
• 200 ml water
• 2 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 150 g margarine
• salt and pepper
• Nutmeg, freshly grated
• rice vinegar to taste

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 40 minutes

Surinamese casserole, gluten-free, for a casserole dish

Pom is a Surinamese oven-baked dish of Creole-Jewish origin. A prime example of Suriname’s multicultural history. It is made from the tayer tuber, also called pomtayer tuber. Pom can be eaten hot or cold. In Suriname and among Surinamese living in the Netherlands, it is a festive dish that is brought to every appropriate occasion. Pom is eaten hot with rice and vegetables, but can also be served cold as a pom bun. Remove the tayer tubers from the freezer the day before and thaw in the refrigerator. The next day, dice the chicken breasts and marinate them in the refrigerator for one hour with tomato ketchup and a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg. In Suriname, skinned chicken pieces with bones are preferred; they have a more intense flavor, but you have to pick out the bones while eating. That’s why I prefer chicken breast. Mix the tayer with the orange juice, mustard, and sugar. Season with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. It should taste sweet and sour. Don’t try too much; raw tayer will feel fuzzy and unpleasant in the mouth. Season to taste with a little rice vinegar or a bit more sugar, if desired. After marinating, brown the chicken cubes in 75g of margarine, add the roughly diced onions and tomatoes, and braise briefly. Add the water and stock cubes and simmer for about 30 minutes. Then add half of the liquid, without the meat, to the tayer mixture. Reserve the other half; it may not be needed later. The mixture should not be too thick, similar to a soft sponge cake batter. Grease an ovenproof dish and pour in half of the tayer mixture. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and vegetables from the liquid and spread them on the tayer. Pour in the other half of the tayer mixture. Melt the remaining margarine and spread it on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) on the middle rack for approximately 100 minutes. The casserole is done when the top is crispy and golden brown. The inside should be yellow and sticky, and sticky when pierced with a fork.