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Home » Recipe Index » Kitchen Essentials

Jamaican Curry Powder

Published: May 20, 2021 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

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A glass bowl filled with Jamaican curry powder with a fork inserted into the middle of it.

If you want to take your Caribbean dishes to the next level, you’ve got to make this curry powder.

Getting your hands on the ingredients for this homemade spice is not hard to achieve at all.  Once you’ve got them all in place, the powder comes together in a matter of minutes and keeps for months. It honestly puts dishes, such as Shrimp Curry and Caribbean Stew Chicken (recipe to come) over the top.  Subtle yet deeply flavorful. And it’s just so much fun to make homemade curry power – Jamaican style!

VIDEO ALERT: Be sure to check out the video for this recipe in the recipe card.  If you like the video, subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

A small glass jar that is filled with Jamaican curry powder with a spoon inserted into it, and sitting next to an orange checkered cloth.

How to Make Jamaican Curry Powder

You may think making Jamaican curry powder from scratch is difficult.

Trust us. It’s not.

And the difference between homemade and purchased is night and day.

What Is In Jamaican Curry Powder?

You may be wondering “is Jamaican curry powder different from Indian curry powder?”

The answer is yes. They are somewhat similar in taste and appearance, but there are differences.

EXPERT TIP: Jamaican curry powder typically carries less heat than Madras curry powder. The heat in Caribbean dishes, such as Curry Shrimp, comes from the addition of fresh hot peppers, such as scotch bonnet, habanero, or jalapeno.  Learn more about Jamaican vs. Indian Curry here.

We start off with 4 dried spices. Turmeric is common in both Jamaican and Indian curry but is usually more prevalent in Jamaican. Here are the ground spices you’ll need:

  • Turmeric – available in the spice section of most well-stocked markets.
  • Ginger – available in the spice section of most well-stocked markets.
  • Nutmeg – available in the spice section of most well-stocked markets, however, we love to use West Indies Ground Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon – available in the spice section of most well-stocked markets.

A glass bowl filled with ground turmeric, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

The Seeds You Will Need

Toasting and grinding the various seeds is what really elevates this powder and makes it so flavorful.

Here are the seeds (most with links to purchase) you’ll need:

  • Whole All-Spice
  • Coriander Seeds
  • Cumin Seeds
  • Mustard Seeds – Often found in the spice section of well-stocked markets.
  • Anise Seeds
  • Fenugreek Seeds
  • Black Peppercorns – available in the spice section of most well-stocked markets

7 small white bowls filled with various seeds used for Jamaican curry powder.

Toasting the seeds in a large skillet over medium heats brings out their oils and aromatics even more.

Just toast for about 3 minutes and then let cool.

EXPERT TIP: Be sure not to burn any of the seeds while toasting them. Some of the smaller seeds may pop and crackle a little. This is normal. You will probably see a little smoke, too. This also is normal. If any of the seeds start to darken too much, quickly remove them from the heat. If the seeds burn, you’ll need to discard them and start again.

A large silver skillet filled with various seeds with a wooden spoon inserted into them.

Best Jamaican Curry Powder Tips

Toast the Seeds – This deepens the flavor tremendously and shouldn’t be overlooked for the most authentic taste.
Grind the Seeds – An old coffee grinder works perfectly for pulverizing the seeds. A pestle and mortar (with some elbow grease) will get the job done, too.
Let the Seeds Cool – After you’ve ground the seeds, you’ll want them to cool somewhat before adding to the other spices, usually about 10 minutes.

A spice grinder filled with toasted seeds and then again after the seeds have been ground.

After the ground spices have cooled a bit, it’s time to transfer them to the other spices.

Before doing this, be sure to mix together the turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon until fully combined.

Carefully transfer the ground seeds into the other combined spices.

A person pouring ground toasted seeds into a glass bowl filled with ground turmeric and other ground spices.

Storing and Cooking

After all the ground spices have been fully mixed together, you can cook with the powder immediately, or store it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

The curry powder has a shelf life of 6 to 12 months, but remember that over time, the flavor profile will diminish somewhat.

We love using this spice in Shrimp Curry, Caribbean stewed chicken, Jamaican curry chicken wings, turkey burgers, and more (all recipes coming soon!).

A glass bowl filled with Jamaican curry powder with a fork inserted into the middle of it.

Ready to make the best flavor-enhancer this side of the Caribbean? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

A small glass jar that is filled with Jamaican curry powder with a spoon inserted into it, and sitting next to an orange checkered cloth.

Jamaican Curry Powder

Jamaican Curry Powder is similar to Indian curry powder but with a little less heat. It's ideal for Caribbean dishes such as curry shrimp, Caribbean stewed chicken, and jerk wings! See blog post for links to any ingredient that you can't find at your local market!
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Course: Spice
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
Cool time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 25kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • Medium to large skillet
  • Coffee grinder or spice grinder, or pestle and mortar

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon turmeric ground
  • 1 tablespoon ginger ground
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground, preferably West Indies
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoon all-spice whole
  • 2 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized bowl, add the turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir with a fork or whisk until completely combined.
  • Place all of the other remaining ingredients in a large skillet/saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic and slightly smoking, about 3 minutes. Be careful to not let anything burn! Set aside to let cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the cooled seeds to a spice (or coffee) grinder and grind until fully pulverized. Alternatively, ground them with a pestle and mortar.
  • Transfer the ground seeds to the turmeric mixture. Use a fork or whisk to mix and fully combine. Use immediately or transfer to a jar with a lid. Keep unrefrigerated for 6 to 12 months.

Notes

See the blog post for links to some of the ingredients that you can't find at a local market.  Most can be delivered with a 24 hour period via Amazon Prime. 
The powder is great in Caribbean recipes (we will be adding more and more to the blog), but it's also amazing sprinkled on scrambled eggs, popcorn, and burgers before grilling. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

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Comments

  1. Mitch B says

    May 21, 2021 at 8:25 am

    Hi Guys, hope you are both well. Thanks for this, I look forward to trying the shrimp curry. While its obvious, you failed to mention the actual grinding of the seeds in your recipe instructions….

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      May 21, 2021 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Mitch!! Thank you SO MUCH for bringing that to our attention! We’ve updated the recipe to reflect this important step! Hope you are great and let us know if you make the curry and the shrimp. We think it’s pretty amazing!! All the best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply

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