Book of Days Tales

On this date in 1863 the Netherlands abolished slavery in all of its colonies.  The event was not celebrated in the Netherlands until 100 years later, in 1963, but now it is a prominent holiday in the country when they honor freedom, equality and human rights. The Afro-Dutch community hold parades and performances, and refer to the day as Keti Koti which means “breaking the chains.” The national dish of Suriname, a former Dutch colony heavily involved in slavery, is Pom, short for Pomtajer, a dish of complex chicken stew topped with a grated potato mixture.

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

    6 tablespoons olive oil divided

    2 small onions, peeled and diced

    1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken cut into 2-inch chunks

    Salt to taste

    1 teaspoon ground white pepper

    2 cups chopped tomatoes

    2 cups chicken stock

    1 tablespoon tomato puree

    ½ cup coconut milk

    2 oranges, juice and zest

    1 tablespoon coconut sugar

    1 teaspoon ground allspice

    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    1/4 cup piccalilli or spicy relish

    2 tablespoons sambal oelek or to taste

    1 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped

Grated Potato or Pomtajer Topping

    1 lb russet potatoes peeled

    1 white onion peeled

    3 eggs

    1 teaspoon paprika powder

    ground black pepper

    salt

Instructions

Cook Onions and Chicken

Place the juice of one orange, salt to taste, and the chicken pieces in a mixing bowl. Massage the salt and juice into the chicken and then let sit for several minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Drain the orange juice from the mixing bowl of chicken, then add the chicken into the  wok/saucepan with two more tablespoons of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side so that it begins to brown.

Prepare Pom Filling

As the chicken browns, add back in the onions as well as the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock and tomato purée. Stir well.

Next, add in the coconut milk, orange juice, piccalilli (or relish), sambal, sugar, allspice and nutmeg into the pan. Stir well.

Add in some freshly chopped parsley and take the pan off direct heat. Stir, then transfer the entire mixture into a casserole dish.

Make and Layer Pom Crust

Preheat your oven to 375° F/ 190°C.

Grate the peeled potatoes and onion into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add in the eggs, paprika powder, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly. Once the potatoes are well mixed and coated in eggs and spices, carefully spread the grated mixture over the filling in the your casserole dish. Make sure the topping is evenly spread and completely covers the filling.

Place the Pom in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the potato crust is golden brown.

Can be served on its own or with any number of green vegetables.

Serves 4 to 6 (depending on how many vegetables you serve with it).