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Bami: Origins, Food Culture & Recipe
Bami expresses Suriname’s Javanese heritage through savoury fried noodles with meat or chicken, vegetables, ketjap and aromatic seasoning.
RegionSuriname
DishBami expresses Suriname’s Javanese heritage through savoury fried noodles with meat or chicken, vegetables, ketjap and aromatic seasoning.
Flavour profilemulticultural · aromatic · Surinamese
Culinary portrait
Bami expresses Suriname’s Javanese heritage through savoury fried noodles with meat or chicken, vegetables, ketjap and aromatic seasoning.
Origins and cultural meaning
Bami reflects Suriname’s exceptional culinary diversity, shaped by Indigenous, African, Hindustani, Javanese, Chinese, Jewish and Dutch histories.
Variations
Seasoning, proportions and accompaniments vary between families. These differences are part of a living Surinamese food tradition.
Kitchen knowledge
Use the characteristic ingredients and cooking technique, season carefully and pay close attention to texture and complete cooking where required.
Cook it yourself
How to prepare Bami
Ingredients
- 500 g wheat noodles
- 400 g chicken or pork
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 spring onions
- 3 tbsp ketjap manis
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oil
- sambal
Preparation
- Cook noodles until just tender and drain.
- Fry the meat over high heat.
- Add onion, garlic and ginger.
- Add noodles and toss with ketjap and soy sauce.
- Fold in spring onions and serve with sambal.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is Bami?
Bami expresses Suriname’s Javanese heritage through savoury fried noodles with meat or chicken, vegetables, ketjap and aromatic seasoning.
Why is Bami important in Suriname?
It represents one strand of Suriname’s multicultural food history and has developed its own local identity.