Jamaican Curry Powder
The perfect blend of spices creates a spicy, delicious, and versatile homemade Jamaican curry powder ideal for chicken, chickpeas, and especially goat. Quick, easy, no additives or fillers, and it tastes way better than the store-bought blends.
Looking back at my life, I can’t remember a single time that I didn’t have a curry jar in my pantry. It’s always been a staple, and I use it more often than not. My sister and I knew a good curry is a magic ingredient that can turn a disaster into a dinner everyone loves eating.
Just a little would avoid the awkward glances from everyone at the table. And when it was my turn to cook, I was petrified we would run out. So I would double and triple-check to make sure there was enough in the jar before turning on the gas stove.
What Makes a Good Curry Powder
Fresh ingredients and lots of love. I asked Google how many versions of curry powder there are, and the answer was that it’s impossible to count them. Every grandmother in India, Thailand, Africa, and Jamaica has their own twist. Besides, it’s not a single spice, but a delicious blend of spices. And they differ greatly in intensity, flavor, and heat level from region to region.
I had been meaning to make mine for a while, but just kept putting it off. What gave me the extra push was a curry competition. Participants from different Caribbean countries were jamming curry chicken. I mean, lip-smacking, finger-licking-good curry chicken that woke up all your senses.
But the winner had a secret; she made her own spice blend. As soon as I tasted it, I knew it was for me! The seasonings were perfectly balanced without one spice overpowering another. Since it was a competition and I was a judge, I had to behave myself and hold back my reaction.
Jamaican vs. Indian Curry
When I wanted to know the difference between Jamaican curry powder and Indian curry powder, I did a side-by-side comparison and some digging. I found out that there is no identical recipe, even within a country.
Most Jamaican curry powders, though not all, are bright yellow from lots of turmeric, spicy from dried scotch bonnet pepper (a childhood favorite), go heavier on the ginger, and have allspice or pimento.
Indian curry goes heavier on the cumin, coriander, and fenugreek. The heat typically comes from cayenne, and real dried curry leaves add a herby, citrusy zing.
How to Make Jamaican Curry Powder
Toast the whole spices, grind them, add them to ground spices, mix well, and store in a spice jar.
Recipe Notes
- I don’t usually add salt to my spice mixes because they don’t last as long on the shelf: salt attracts moisture. We also have more control of how much salt goes in the recipe.
- I’ve included the measurements for already ground ingredients for those who want a faster recipe.
- This is my interpretation, but you can switch up ingredients and amounts to your tastes. Spicier or less spicy? That’s the beauty of making your own; it’s super easy to customize.
- I used dried cayenne in my blend because dried scotch bonnet peppers aren’t easy to find. Since this is homemade, I took the liberty of adding nutmeg. It’s a popular ingredient, but not essential, so feel free to leave it out.
How to Use Jamaican Curry Powder
My absolute favorite is Jamaican curry goat, but it also goes great in chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, and the famous doubles.
More Homemade Seasoning Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in January 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Jamaican Curry Powder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (20g) yellow mustard seeds (2 tablespoons ground mustard)
- 2 tablespoons (22g) fenugreek seeds (2 teaspoons ground fenugreek)
- 2 tablespoons (12g) whole allspice berries (2½ teaspoons ground allspice)
- 1 tablespoon (5g) whole coriander seeds (1 tablespoon ground coriander)
- 1 tablespoon (8g) whole cumin seeds (2½ teaspoons ground cumin)
- 1½ teaspoons (5g) black peppercorns (1 heaping teaspoon ground black or white pepper)
- 1 whole clove (¼ teaspoon ground cloves)
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 1 dried chili pepper (½ teaspoon ground red pepper, such as Scotch bonnet or cayenne pepper)
- 2½ tablespoons (15g) ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons (10g) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (2g) ground nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly toast the whole spices (mustard seeds, fenugreek, allspice, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, clove, star anise, and dried chile pepper in a pan without oil over low heat for 3-5 minutes, or until aromatic and toasty.
- Remove the spices from the heat and let them cool slightly, then grind them in a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Sometimes I use my blender, and it works fine.
- Pour the finely ground spices into a bowl and add the ground turmeric, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir well and store it in a spice jar or an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Tips & Notes:
- You can skip the toasting, but it does add a delicious nuttiness.
- Feel free to adjust seasonings to your preference, or even leave a couple out if you don’t have them or don’t like them. Turmeric and cumin are what give it the classic curry flavor.
- If using preground spices, simply measure, mix, and use.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly depending on the ingredients used in the recipe.
OMG, this recipe is so good. I made savory lentil pancakes and decided to add a spoonful of this curry powder, and it was amazing. Thank you:)
I just cooked this for my kids and I and we love it! I didn’t have any fenugreek but I did place an order online for some and will try the recipe again next time with it. I’m currently eating the delicious curry while writing this review. 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks for the recipe. I am making curried chicken tomorrow and wanted to up my game. 4 stars because I haven’t tried it yet. Will perhaps give an update on the review. I was very interested in the difference in yellow and red curry powder and had to research but I think that I can make a minor adjustment to create the red for the appropriate application.
Hi Jennifer!
You’re very welcome! I’m thrilled you’re giving the curried chicken a try, and I appreciate the 4-star anticipation rating.
As for the curry powder, you’re absolutely right—adjusting it slightly can make a big difference depending on your desired flavor profile. Yellow curry powder often has a milder, turmeric-forward taste, while red curry powder leans spicier and more robust, often with added chili powder or paprika for that signature color and kick.
If you’re aiming to tweak the yellow curry powder to mimic the red, consider adding a touch of smoked paprika, cayenne, or ground chili for the spice and deeper hue.
Let me know how it turns out, and I look forward to your updated review! Happy cooking!
Thank you so much for this. I am Cruzan, my husband Jamaican, and we both feel this takes us back home. I kept the funugreek and mustard seed whole and left out the nutmeg but subbed tons of cayenne for scotch B…delicious curry chicken soup! Will use on ANY seafood or meat. Love it!
I use this on most of my meats too. I am so glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for your feedback :)!
i am a bit confused. i am looking at creating 20-tsp of the curry powder. I aim to use the whole spice where I can. It says in the recipe to use 0.49 whole clove. Is this 1/2 a clove or 0.49 of a teaspoon or tablespoon? It does not stipulate. Any advise from you will be gratefully received. Many thanks, JJ
Sorry for the confusion. The recipe has been updated.
My husband and I love this recipe. Here in Winnipeg, it’s perfect for the winter months.
Awesome! So glad to hear this Anthony.
I’ve made it twice now, so good!
Great! Thank you for the feedback, Isa!
I like many other commenters on here, am very confused on the measurements. I only have the powdered form of everything, so pretty much used equal amounts powder, except for the black pepper (only used 1/2 teaspoon black pepper). I would probably cut back a little on the turmeric though to 2 Tbsp or a bit less.
Hi Tanya. Feel free to adjust the quantities of the ingredients to your taste. It will still turn out great. Thanks for stopping by.
This recipe is perfect and makes a massively versatile curry powder. I use it for Japanese Katsu Curry as well and is just so good.
Thanks for the feedback, Simon 🙂 !
I want to make this curry spice mix, but I’m confused on measurements. Never sure when it’s whole seeds or ground I’m to measure. Am I correct that if specified “ground” the measurement is for the ground product and if not specified I am measuring the whole seed such as the cumin,allspice,mustard,black pepper.
Yes you are correct.
I would like to try this recipe but find the way it is written to be very confusing. Unfortunately I’m more of a recipe follower than a cook so details are big for me. I sooo wish you would give metric (gram) conversions. That would remove the questions about whole or ground, scalability would also be simple.
Hi Gary, I would be glad to share the amounts in grams. If you use whole spices, you can toast them for more flavor. If using already ground spices, just mix them.
2½ tablespoons turmeric = 25g
1 tablespoon coriander = 3g
1 tablespoon cumin = 6g
2 tablespoons allspice = 12g
2 tablespoon ground ginger = 8g
2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds = 22g
2 tablespoons fenugreek = 22g
1½ teaspoon black pepper = 3g
1 whole clove
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg = 2g
½ teaspoon dried scotch bonnet or cayenne = 1g
I have a problem that essentially trashes the recipe a turmeric allergy but a love of ” curry”
Any thoughts on a semblance of this lovely recipe minus turmeric?
I am so sorry. You can increase the cumin, coriander, and ginger a bit, and add saffron for the yellow color if you have it.
I’m not sure the spice measurements in this recipe is correct. My Goat curry had a bitter taste (from too much fenugreek seeds) that I had made using this curry powder. I’ve made other recipes and they usually turn out well, just not this curry powder unfortunately.
Hi Jes,
I’m really sorry to hear that the goat curry didn’t turn out as expected. Fenugreek seeds can indeed impart a bitter taste if used in large quantities, and I appreciate your feedback on this.
It’s always disappointing when a recipe doesn’t meet your expectations, especially when you’ve had success with others. I’ll definitely revisit the spice measurements in the curry powder recipe to see if adjustments are needed.
In the meantime, if you’d like to give it another try, I’d recommend reducing the fenugreek seeds by half or even omitting them altogether to see if that better suits your taste.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, and I appreciate your honest feedback. It helps me improve the recipes for everyone.
Best,
I read that toasting fenugreek seeds removes the bitterness.
Yes, toasting fenugreek seeds can help mellow out their bitterness and enhance their flavor. Toasting spices in general can bring out their aromatic oils and make them more fragrant, adding depth to your dishes.
Just be cautious not to burn them, as that would introduce a bitter, burnt taste instead of reducing bitterness.
Hello, I am so excited to try this. Is it 2 tablespoons of allspice berries or pre ground allspice?
I like to toast whole spices, then grind them in a coffee grinder. But you can use all ground spices if you want.
I have a feeling I’m not going to end up with the same curry powder that you made due to being unsure of which spices I measure out whole and which spices I measure out powdered. Like the black pepper — 1.5tsp of ground black pepper is like four times as much as 1.5tsp of whole black pepper. And that goes for all of the things. The recipe may say ground but the pictures show whole spices being toasted — should I toast and grind a large amount of each spice and *then* measure out the amount for this recipe?
Sorry for the confusion. If toasting, use whole as directed in the instructions. Or you can use ground if you want to skip the toasting. 1½ teaspoon peppercorns is approximately ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Hope that helps.