When we entered Suriname, we stopped at an Indonesian restaurant for a quick lunch. Some people had ordered a soup that looked really delicious, but I had nasi goreng and chicken (fried rice). I decided that the next time I saw the soup, I would order it. Luckily, we had another chance to try it while in Paramaribo at a place called Souposo. It was rich, lightly spiced and filling. You could have it with chicken, rice and/or tom tom (plantain balls). Of course, like most places in Paramaribo, they ran out of some things so we had to share the tom tom. It was part of the experience! I made this recipe for pindasoep and tom tom at home, and it was relatively easy.
Most of the ingredients were found in my cupboard, and luckily I had bought some Madame Jeanette chili powder for the authentic spice. One thing I would do next time is to drain the plantains better, because my mashed plantains were a bit too wet. Most recipes I saw recommended smooth peanut butter but I kind of like the extra crunch, so I think it depends on your taste.
Ingredients
Soup
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1-2 small tomatoes, skin removed and finely chopped (or 1 Tbsp tomato paste)
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries
275 g smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 Madame Jeanette pepper or a pinch of the powder (it is hot!)
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
200 boiled and shredded chicken, optional
Tom Tom
2 very ripe plantains
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Soup
First, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic. Next, add in the tomato or tomato paste. Fry for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the stock, bay leaf, allspice berries and peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Finally, add the chicken, dark soy sauce and pepper. Heat through for a few minutes. Then serve with tom tom.
Tom Tom
First, peel the plantains. Bring hot water to boil in a medium saucepan. Boil the plantains until soft, about 8 minutes. Then add a pinch of salt and mash the plantains. Finally, roll the mixture into small balls and set aside to serve with the soup. If the balls seem too soft, you can bake or air fry them for 5-10 minutes until they dry out and get a little crispy on the outside.
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