Suriname

A plate of the typical dish Roti Kip Kerrie, consisting of roti flatbread, curry chicken, and potatoes.

Vincent van Zalinge

Unsplash

Curry, Satay, and Madame Jeanette – Discover the Culinary Melting Pot of Suriname

The cuisine of Suriname is arguably the most diverse in South America. Thanks to its colonial history and the migration of contract laborers following the abolition of slavery (from India, Indonesia, China, and West Africa), it has become a unique culinary melting pot where chicken curry is served alongside Javanese soup and Chinese fried meats.

This cuisine is not simply the sum of its parts; the different cultures influenced each other, creating hybrid dishes with deep and complex flavors.

Pillars of Surinamese Cuisine:

Hindustani (Indian) Influence: Introduced Roti, a stuffed flatbread (often with split peas or potato filling) served with chicken or duck curry and long beans. Snacks like Bara (fried curried dough) are also popular.
Javanese (Indonesian) Influence: Is the source of dishes like Saoto Soup (a spicy chicken broth), Nasi Goreng (fried rice), and Bami Goreng (fried noodles), all adapted to local ingredients and tastes in Suriname.
Creole (African/European) Influence: Brought Pom – the unofficial national dish. It is a celebratory baked casserole combining chicken with grated Pomtayer root (a type of taro/cassava), spices, and citrus juice. Moksi Alesi (mixed rice with salted meat and vegetables) is another Creole classic.

Connecting all these traditions is Madame Jeanette, an extremely hot but fruity chili pepper that gives dishes a characteristic kick, along with Bakkeljauw (salted cod) and root vegetables. Prepare for a journey where you might lunch on Indian curry, dine on Javanese satay, and have a Dutch-style sandwich for breakfast!