Caribbean Colombo Spice Blend

A Caribbean Blend

The coolies (immigrants from the East Indies to the West Indies) imported curry to the West Indies from 1862.

The dosages and ingredients of this curry were changed overtime to give the colombo a local identity, and some local grown spices became part of this blend to. Like the massalé or ras el hanout, Colombo is an evolution in time of Indian curry, in which we find all the flavors of the Caribbean.

Colombo pays homage to its origins and in fact takes its name from that of the economic capital and most populated city of Sri Lanka. Located on the west coast of this large island off the coast of India,

Colombo was probably named in honour of the navigator Christopher Columbus by the Portuguese colonizers who landed there in the early sixteenth century.

In the West Indies, each family has its own recipe for making colombo. However, we often find the same spices at the base of this mixture.

Turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, clove, cumin, pepper, mustard grains and garlic are the most common ingredients in colombo powder.

Some of these spices are toasted or roasted before being reduced to powder and mixed.

Families of Indian origin who live in the West Indies often add cardamom and tamarind, while others put ginger, fennel, dried bay um leaf, saffron or star anise.

There are many different blends; each family or restaurant has their own secret blend.

The variation of the spice proportions also changes the flavors of colombo.

How to use Colombo in the kitchen? It is a culinary preparation from the West Indies, in which enter many vegetables and spices (or even the composition). It may seem more fragrant than its cousin mixtures (curry, massalé), this due to a larger dose of caraway. Used to cook white meat (chicken), fish (marlin, shark, swordfish) and pork are also prepared in Colombian West Indies. Use it in cooking vegetables of all kinds (a teaspoon in the ratatouille for example!). Its sweet and fragrant flavor makes its use extend from starter to dessert.

Do not hesitate to sprinkle some on your salads (tomatoes, cucumbers, and others).

Composition: turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, cardamom, fenugreek, fennel, garlic semolina, star anise, cloves, kaloupilé, mustard seeds,

Here is an easy example for beginners with powdered spices;

30 g of turmeric powder, 20 g coriander powder, 20 g of yellow mustard powder, 15 g sweet paprika, 10 g of ground caraway, 10 g of ginger powder, 10 g black pepper, 5 g four spices powder, 5 g of ground fenugreek seeds5 g of cardamom powder, 4 g ground fennel, 3 g of ground star anise, 1 g nutmeg powder 5 g allspice powder.2 g garlic powder, 1 g cumin powder, 2 g chilli powder (optional).