Jamaican Curry Powder- Perfect blend of homemade Curry Powder. Quick, easy, no additives or fillers AND it tastes way better than your store-bought brands.
Looking back at my life there has never been a time when I did not have a curry jar in my pantry. It’s always been a pantry staple and something that I use more often than not. My sister and I knew the magic ingredient to make a disastrous stew somewhat edible- Curry spice.
Just a little would evade the awkward glances from everyone at the table. I was petrified when it came to my turn, I would check, double-check and triple-check, to make sure there was enough in the jar before turning on the gas stove.
Curry is not a single spice, but a unique blend of spices. Which differs greatly in intensity, flavor and heat level from region to region. I have been meaning to make mine now for a while but just kept putting it off. What gave me the extra push is a curry competition I attended. You had a group of participants from different Caribbean Countries with jamming Curry Chicken. I mean lip-smacking, finger-licking curry chicken that would awaken all the sensations in your body. Yes! They were that good.
But the winner had a secret; she made her own curry spice blend. As soon as I tasted it, I knew this was it for me! The seasonings were perfectly balanced- not one overpowering the other. Since it was a competition and I was a Judge I had to be very respectable and hold the moaning and groaning.
Curious about curry powder. I want to know the difference between Jamaican curry powder and Indian curry powder. Well, say no more.
There are a few differences between the two. After doing side by side comparison and some digging. You would notice that most Jamaican, not all Jamaican curry powder tho, are bright yellow from lots of turmeric, dried scotch bonnet pepper (a childhood favorite) and it always includes allspice, also known as pimentos.
Here, I used cayenne pepper because dried scotch bonnet pepper is not readily available. Since this is homemade I took the liberty of adding nutmeg, which is not typical feel free to leave out or adjust.
This is just my interpretation of this curry spice so switch it up if desired. Making your own homemade spice blend means you control how much of spice goes in your blend.
Also, do you want it to be salty or no salt at all? Spicy or Less Spicy? I always leave out the salt. So feel free to adjust it to suit your tastebuds.
Make it yours!!!
Recipes Using This Curry Powder
More Homemade Seasonings To Try
- Creole/Cajun Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
- Italian Seasoning
- Poultry Seasoning
- Jerk Seasoning
- Steak Seasoning
Watch How To Make It
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Jamaican Curry Powder
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tablespoon turmeric ground
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds ground
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon all spice
- 2 tablespoon ginger ground
- 2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds dry
- 2 tablespoon fenugreek seeds ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (you can use white pepper)
- 1 whole clove dried, (use about 1/4 teaspoon ground)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground, (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon scotch bonnet peppe ground, (you can use cayenne pepper)
Instructions
- If using whole grain, lightly toast, on low heat, in a fry pan, for about 3-5 minutes, before grinding, just until the spices smell nice and toasty. Then grind in a coffee grinder.
- You may skip the toasting and just grind all the spices. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Gary McCutchen says
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.
Imma says
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
Barbara T says
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?
Imma says
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.
Jes says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
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,
Fred says
I read that toasting fenugreek seeds removes the bitterness.
ImmaculateBites says
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.
Chloe Broeckelmann says
Hello, I am so excited to try this. Is it 2 tablespoons of allspice berries or pre ground allspice?
Imma says
I like to toast whole spices, then grind them in a coffee grinder. But you can use all ground spices if you want.
Eric says
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?
Imma says
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.
Banna says
Thanks for posting this and so many other recipes! I’ve just found my way here and will be trying so many things.
Imma says
Thank you:) There’s more to come, so stay tuned
Brian says
Just ran out so it’s time to make a new batch. This always makes me happy. So good, and really kicks the Jamaican patties up a notch.
Imma says
Thank you, Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
Tina says
I just made this, it took a few minutes and it smells amazing! I can’t wait to cook with it.
Imma says
Awesome!!! Can’t wait to know how it turns out for you.
Tee says
Proud of myself for having all the ingredients in my pantry!!! I had fenugreek seeds because I was going to make a tea, but used them for this delicious recipe instead. I didn’t toast any of the seeds, this way it will keep longer. I suspect it won’t last long anyway, lol. I’m going to use some this weekend for a stew .
Thank you. It was super simple to make.
Imma says
Awesome!!! Can’t wait to know how it turns out for you.
Brian says
I’m back to make my next batch of curry powder and needed to leave a 5 star rating and comment. I had run out and made Jamaican beef patties with a substitute and there is no comparison. If you are able to roast your own spices you should. So good…
Imma says
Amazing!!!!! That absolutely delicious!! Glad you loved it. Looking forward to you trying more of my recipes.
Lisa says
I’ve just run out of Grace curry powder, so now I can make my own! Thank you!
Amina says
Great to hear that. Thank you!
Hazel says
Where can I purchase Jamaican curry without salt
imma africanbites says
Hi, Hazel. I bought back then that’s salt-free in a local grocery store. But you can also check on amazon.com
Andre says
Hi Imma,
I noticed the proportions have changed significantly this year. In previous versions of this recipe the Allspice, ground Ginger, yellow mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds were all teaspoons instead of tablespoons. What drove the change? I loved the old recipe and am curious to try the new one. Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Andre, which recipe would it be?
Andre says
The Jamaican curry powder recipe. I have an old written down version of this from your site and it used to be 2 tsp each of allspice, ginger, yellow mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, but now they’re 2 TBSP each.
KJ says
Is it tsp or tblsp for Allspice, ground Ginger, yellow mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in the homemade curry spice recipe?
Imma says
If you scroll all the way down to the blog post you will find a recipe card. That has all the measurements and you need 2 tablespoons of all the four items. Once you try, don’t forget to let me know how it turn out:)
Maureen says
Hello, I would love to make this curry powder for curried goat….not sure if I’m missing something…I do not see the recipe and the video doesn’t give measurements. Please provide. Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Maureen! Thanks for bringing this up, not sure what have happened but I have already added it just now. 🙂
Paul kelly says
What’s the best allspice to buy for my curried goat please.
Imma says
I haven’t seen a big difference in allspice brands. However, I do take note of the expiration date because old allspice isn’t good.
Sharifa says
Hi!! I came across your recipe and cang wait to put it together but can’t seem to find the quantity of all the spices needed. Could you possibly send me a list of all the spices and the measurements used please? Thankss
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sharifa! I have added it in the same post just now . 🙂