Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (2024)

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This Jamaican Curry Powder recipe is vibrant, flavorful and so easy to make! In less than 15 minutes, you can have your very own homemade Jamaican curry powder. Perfect for adding bold and complex flavor to all sorts of dishes, this Jamaican Curry Powder is also a fun, affordable and unique edible gift.

Suitable for vegan, gluten free, low carb, keto, paleo, whole30 diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (1)

Hey guys, can I introduce you to a store cupboard staple that you NEED in your life? Aka this fragrant, Jamaican Curry Powder recipe that is vibrant, addictive and can convert the most regular recipe to something that will make your taste buds love you forever.

Before we go further….

Please don’t get stressed about making your own homemade curry powder from scratch. This is as easy as toasting a few spices, then grinding everything together before storing it. And it all takes under 15 minutes. #easypeasy right?

Heck to make it even easier, you can start with already ground spices which mean you only need to measure a few tablespoons of spices, mix and store.

And this Jamaican Curry Powder recipe makes for a super unique DIY gift. Mix up a couple of batches, decant into cute spice jars, wrap with a festive bow and hand out to all your foodie friends. Yeap, your holiday gifting just got that much easier!

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (2)

What is Jamaican Curry Powder

Jamaican Curry powder is a combination of Caribbean spices that is a store cupboard staples across the region. Everyone has a spice jar of this in their pantry. Whilst there are some common ingredients in Jamaican Curry powder, everyone has their own little variations which vary in flavour, complexity and heat.

This version is really the best Jamaican curry powder as it is amazingly fragrant and full of aromatics that just speak to your foodie soul.

Honestly this homemade curry powder recipe will really change your life. Simply whip some up, store and season your Caribbean recipes as and when needed.

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (3)

Jamaican Curry Powder Ingredients

Whilst there are some common ingredients in Jamaican Currypowder, everyone has their own little variations. Here is a base recipe, but feelfree to adapt to your taste.

whole spices

  • coriander seeds
  • cumin seeds
  • yellow mustard seeds
  • fenugreek seeds
  • whole pimento berries (allspice berries)
  • black peppercorns

ground spices

  • turmeric
  • ginger
  • nutmeg
  • chili
  • cinnamon

How To Make Jamaican Curry Powder

  1. If starting with whole spices, then toast spices on skillet, over medium heat for about 2 -3 minutes until fragrant. Remove spices from skillet and let cool.
  2. Add whole spices to the spice grinder along with the rest of the spices and grind.
  3. Store Jamaican Curry Powder in an airtight spice jar for up to 6 months.
Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (4)

Jamaican Curry Recipe Tips

  • Go easy on the curry powder, start with less than you think you need and add more to taste.
  • Curries really do taste better the next day, so cook ahead of time and let stand.
  • Sometimes it is best to mix the curry powder with liquid before adding it to your dish.
  • You can use the curry powder as a dry rub on some veggies or protein.

Caribbean Curry Powder Variations

Feels free to adapt the ingredients of this Caribbean Curry to your taste. Seriously this is all about what you love. Some suggestions include;

  • cloves
  • star anise
  • thyme
  • garlic powder
  • white pepper
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What is the Difference Between Indian Curry Powder and JamaicanCurry Powder

While both curry powders are a blend of spices, Jamaican curry powder usually has a higher proportion of turmeric and is packed full of Jamaican flavors such as pimento, scotch bonnet chili and personal preferences like nutmeg. It is also lower in heat than the Indian version.

To be honest there is not actually a real Indian curry powder – instead Indian cuisine typically has the required spices added directly into the food, rather than as a blend. However **Indian** Curry powders have been invented for a British palate.

You can sometimes substitute Indian Curry for Jamaican curry as long as you are mindful that Indian curry can be hotter, so you may need to use less. You may need to add some Jamaican spices and flavors like allspice and thyme to give it that extra required flavor.

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How Long To Store Jamaican Curry Powder?

You can store Jamaican Curry Powder for up to 6 months in an air tight spice jar or mason jar for larger quantities.

This homemade curry powder can actually last a long time, but it loses it freshness and vibrant flavor as time goes by. I suggest you only make only enough to last you for up to 6 months at any one time. After that simply make a new batch.

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (7)

Curry Powder Weight Watchers Points

There are 0 (zero) Freestyle SmartPoints in a serving of Jamaican Curry Powder.

More Jamaican Recipes

  • Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
  • Jamaican Rum Punch
  • Jamaican Sorrel Moscow Mule.
  • Instant Pot Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
  • Jamaican Curried Goat
  • Jamaican Carrot soup.
  • Jamaican Rice and Peas.
  • Jamaican Oxtails.
  • Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Stew.
  • Jerk Shrimp.

Other Seasoning Mixes You Might Like

Homemade Poultry Seasoning.

Thank you for reading my recipe for Caribbean Curry Powder recipe post. And please visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for reading Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

Get The Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe

Don’t forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Jamaican Curry Powder! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I’d love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

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Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Jamaican Curry Powder

This Jamaican Curry Powder recipe is vibrant and flavorful, and is ready in less than 15 mins!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Course: Edible Gifts, Sauce

Cuisine: American, Caribbean, Western

Servings: 20

Calories: 10.15kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

Whole spices

  • 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons whole fenugreek seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons whole pimento berries allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Ground spices

  • 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chili
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • If starting with whole spices, toast spices in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 -3 minutes, until fragrant. Remove spices form skillet and let cool.

  • Add whole spices to a grinder, along with the rest of the spices, and grind.

  • Store Jamaican Curry Powder in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

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Video

Notes

Jamaican Curry Recipe Tips

  • Go easy on the curry powder, start with less than you think you need and add more to taste.
  • Curries really do taste better the next day, so cook ahead of time and let stand.
  • Sometimes it is best to mix the curry powder with liquid before adding it to your dish.
  • You can use the curry powder as a dry rub on some veggies or protein.

Jamaican Curry Powder Weight Watchers Points

A serving of this Jamaican curry powder recipe contains 0 (zero) Freestyle SmartPoints.

More Jamaican Recipes

  • Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
  • Jamaican Rum Punch
  • Instant Pot Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
  • Jamaican Curried Goat

Nutrition

Calories: 10.15kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.71g | Protein: 0.39g | Fat: 0.41g | Saturated Fat: 0.09g | Sodium: 2.39mg | Potassium: 40.92mg | Fiber: 0.65g | Sugar: 0.09g | Vitamin A: 18.63IU | Vitamin C: 0.38mg | Calcium: 10.77mg | Iron: 0.78mg

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe | Recipe From A Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for Jamaican curry powder? ›

To substitute Jamaican curry powder, I started with regular curry powder (which contains most of the same spices), then added extra turmeric and allspice. This allowed me to use ingredients that were easy for me to find, AND I didn't have to toast and grind the spices myself.

What is Jamaican curry powder made of? ›

Directions. Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, anise seeds, fenugreek seeds, and allspice berries in a skillet. Toast over medium heat until the color of the spices slightly darkens, and the spices are very fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Is there a difference between curry powder and Jamaican curry powder? ›

The greatest difference between the two spice mixes comes into play when examining heat levels. Indian curry powders tend to have more chile powder in them while Jamaican curry powder. Some commercial versions may have a bit of cayenne pepper in them, but most recipes usually omit that spice.

What is in curry powder from the store? ›

What's In Curry Powder? Curry powders usually consist of turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper. Some blends also incorporate garlic and cinnamon. What all curry powders share is a sweet warmth and pleasant pungency that adds a toasty depth to everything it touches.

What is the closest spice to curry powder? ›

Garam masala, a traditional Indian spice blend, is perhaps the closest match for a curry powder substitute. While garam masala often contains many of the same spices as curry powder, it often features additional ingredients like mustard seed, cloves and peppercorn.

What is the difference between Jamaican curry and regular curry? ›

A major difference between Jamaican and Indian curries is that Indian dishes use more chilli powder than fresh peppers. This gives Indian dishes a distinctive red colour and kick. Like Jamaican cuisine, Indian dishes are also usually marinated with a mix of Indian spices before cooking.

Why is my Jamaican curry bitter? ›

With a meaty sauce that covers the veggies you cannot go wrong when serving this hearty meal to your family and friends. Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you've added too much fenugreek to the dish.

What makes Caribbean curry different? ›

Caribbean curry powder also tends to have a higher proportion of sweet spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, with a strong cumin flavor as well. Caribbean Cooking Methods. The other distinguishing factor in Caribbean curry chicken is the cooking methods used to prepare it.

Why do Jamaicans eat curry? ›

According to Sen's book, 1.5 million Indians migrated to other parts of the British Empire between 1834 and 1917, including 114,000 to Trinidad and Tobago and 36,000 to Jamaica. The mass migration resulted in an influx of new cooking techniques, ingredients and dishes, including curry.

Why is curry powder so good? ›

Curry powder promotes digestive health, largely because it contains turmeric and ginger. Turmeric helps strengthen your digestive tract's microbiome, or the healthy bacteria that help you digest food more efficiently.

What curry powder do Nigerians use? ›

While there are innumerable variations, Nigerian Style Curry Powders tend to be Turmeric forward with a mild heat and tend to include rice flour which acts as a thickener when preparing sauces, stews, and gravies which is almost wholly unique to Nigerian Style Curry Powders.

Do you just add water to curry powder? ›

The basic process of making curry involves cooking meat or vegetables, adding curry spices, then thinning it with water, coconut milk, and sometimes yogurt to create a rich sauce.

Is curry good for your stomach? ›

coli and many gut related infections. Digestion – curry powder has been found to help ensure the body is absorbing adequate nutrients while maintaining the perfect homeostasis for optimal intestinal health. Spices are chalk full of dietary fiber and help keep things moving!

Is garam masala same as curry powder? ›

Garam Masala vs. Curry Powder: What's the Difference? Both garam masala and curry powder are used to add flavor and color to dishes. One of the biggest differences between the two is that garam masala doesn't contain tumeric, which is one of the main ingredients in curry powder, imbuing dishes with a yellow hue.

What does Jamaican curry powder taste like? ›

Jamaican curry powder has an earthy quality from the inclusion of turmeric, which provides it with its yellow-orange color, and a tangy bite from the addition of fenugreek. It also has nutty and citrusy notes from coriander and cumin.

Is garam masala the same as curry powder? ›

There is some overlap, but curry powder is generally a blend of aromatic, earthy, and sometimes hot spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and fenugreek, while garam masala is a blend of warm, sometimes slightly sweet spices such as cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon.

Can I substitute curry paste for curry powder? ›

The difference in flavor profile and heat level means that it's not a good idea to substitute curry paste for curry powder. If you're hoping to cook a traditional Thai or Indian dish, this substitution would throw off the flavors in your final dish.

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