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Sweet · Suriname
Bojo
Dense cake made from grated cassava and coconut, without egg or leavening, with an elastic crumb and crunchy crust. A sweet from the Surinamese Creole tradition, commonly served at birthdays and celebrations.
Flavors · Suriname
Roti
Flat thin bread of Indian origin, served with curried chicken, potato and kousenband, a long bean. It arrived in Suriname with indentured workers from British India starting in 1873, and today it is eaten throughout the country.
Traditional dish from Suriname
Also known as: roti kip
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Roti — Suriname
In Suriname, roti is both the name of the bread and the dish. The bread is a thin, round dough, similar to a pancake. The dish pairs the roti with sides: the best-known version includes curried chicken with masala, potato and kousenband, a long and thin bean, often served with a hard‑boiled egg. There are meatless versions made only with vegetables.
The word roti means bread. The dish arrived with the Hindustani people, indentured workers from British India who were taken to the plantations after the abolition of slavery. The first ship, the Lalla Rookh, arrived from Calcutta on June 5, 1873. By 1916, more than 34,000 people had made the same journey. That immigration gave rise to the Surinamese Hindustani community.
Over time, roti became part of the national table. It is an everyday daytime meal and is also served at large gatherings. In Paramaribo there are specialized shops that sell roti with different fillings, such as chicken, egg or liver.
It is eaten with the hands. You tear off a piece of bread and use it to pick up some of the chicken, potato and bean so that your hand only touches the roti. Roti is also commonly served rolled, with the filling inside.
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Where it comes from
Suriname
It arrived with indentured workers from British India starting in 1873, and today it is eaten throughout the country.
Ingredients
Dough bread made from wheat flour, thin and round. Accompaniments: curried chicken with masala, potato, kousenband (long bean) and hard‑boiled egg; there are vegetarian versions.
How it is eaten
With your hands: tear off a piece of roti and use it to pick up a bit of each accompaniment without touching the filling. It is also eaten rolled, with the filling inside.
When it is eaten
All year round, at lunch and dinner, and also at large gatherings.
Your questions
Questions about Roti
What does roti mean?
Roti means bread. In Suriname, the word names both the thin, round bread and the dish served with it, usually curried chicken, potato and long bean.
How is roti eaten?
With your hands. Tear off a piece of the bread and use it to pick up the chicken, potato and bean. It is also served rolled, with the filling inside.
When did roti arrive in Suriname?
With indentured workers from British India. The first ship, the Lalla Rookh, arrived on June 5, 1873, and immigration continued until 1916.
Flavors of Suriname
Discover other flavors of Suriname
Dish · Suriname
Heri heri
Dish of cassava, sweet potato, green and ripe plantain, salted cod and boiled egg. It originated from plantation food in the time of slavery and is associated with Keti Koti, July 1st.
Dish · Suriname
Pindasoep
Peanut soup with chicken broth, served with tomtom — small balls of cooked, mashed plantain. It has roots in West African cuisine and is part of Suriname’s Creole culinary tradition.
Dish · Suriname
Pom
Baked dish made with pomtajer, a regional root, grated and mixed with citrus juice, layered with sautéed chicken. It is Suriname’s best-known festive dish and is often called the national dish.
Dish · Suriname
Saoto
Clear chicken broth served over rice, with shredded chicken, bean sprouts, hard‑boiled egg, fried rice vermicelli and thin stick fries. It is the Surinamese version of Javanese soto, brought by Javanese workers from 1890.