Surinamese
The whole world in one pot — Javanese, Indian, Creole, Dutch.
Pom
Suriname's national dish — grated pomtajer (the unique Surinamese yellow taro / xanthosoma) mixed with chicken pieces, ground orange peel, tomato, onion, citrus juice, masala, and broth, then layered in a casserole and baked for 90 min until the top is mahogany-crusty and the inside is creamy-textured. The Maroon-African heritage adapted from West African baked-tuber traditions and elevated with Surinamese tropical ingredients. Served warm with rice, plantain, and pickled hot peppers. The Sunday family centerpiece across every Surinamese ethnic group.
View page →Suriname is the most-Asian of Latin American cuisines — the smallest South American country (population 600,000) but with the most-diverse population in the Americas. The cuisine is a layered fusion: Javanese (nasi-bami-satay-pindasoep), Hindustani (roti-curry-bara), African (peanut soup, callaloo, pom from West African heritage), Indigenous (cassava-fish, telo), and Dutch-colonial (heri heri). The signature is pom — grated pomtajer (yellow taro) mixed with citrus, chicken, and broth, then baked. Roti (Indian flatbread with chicken-and-aloo curry) is the universal Sunday family meal. Bami goreng (Javanese stir-fried noodles), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice), and saoto soep (Javanese chicken-rice noodle soup with bean sprouts) are the Indonesian-Surinamese centerpieces. Pindasoep (peanut soup with chicken or beef) is the everyday weekday lunch. Heri heri (boiled mash of cassava-plantain-sweet-potato with salt fish) is the Maroon-African breakfast. The cuisine is one of the world's most-diverse in a small geography, with Ketjap manis (Indonesian sweet soy) as the universal seasoning.
The Palate
Start Here
Grated pomtajer (Surinamese yellow taro/xanthosoma) mixed with chicken pieces, ground orange peel, tomato, onion, citrus juice, masala, and broth, then layered in a casserole and baked for 90 min until the top is mahogany-crusty.
Why start here · Suriname's national dish and the most-iconic dish of the Surinamese Maroon community. The Sunday family centerpiece across every Surinamese ethnic group. Start here to understand the country's African-Caribbean-Asian fusion.
Paper-thin paratha or dhalpuri roti served with chicken-and-potato curry (kerrie kip), aloo (potato), bharta (eggplant), and string beans (sperziebonen), all flavored with Surinamese masala.
Why start here · The Indo-Hindustani Surinamese Sunday classic. The roti-and-curry combination that has crossed three oceans (India → Caribbean → Suriname → Netherlands).
Golden-clear chicken broth with shredded chicken, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, sliced hard-boiled egg, fried onion, sambal kecap, fried potato chips, fresh celery leaves.
Why start here · The Javanese-Surinamese Sunday morning ritual. A hot broth with multiple toppings that guests customize themselves. The Indonesian-Javanese contribution to the Surinamese kitchen.
The Pantry
See all 50 ingredients›
Herbs & Spices
Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
Sauces & Condiments
On the Map
Where this cuisine is found
Regional Styles
Paramaribo (Capital)
The capital on the Suriname River. The most-diverse food culture in the world per square mile, combining Indo-Surinamese, Afro-Surinamese, Javanese, Chinese, Maroon, and Dutch traditions. Warung street food, curry shops, and bami goreng cafes.
Coronie and Coastal Region
The Atlantic coastal plain with Javanese-Indonesian villages, peanut farms, and rice paddies. The pindasoep tradition and the Indonesian-influenced kitchen.
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
