powder (optional)
1. Toast all the seeds in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring well, until they
begin to pop. Lower the heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the seeds. Set aside to cool.
2. Once the seeds are completely cool, grind them finely in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. If you wish to make a curry powder, add the turmeric and mix well. Add the habanero powder for a hotter masala.
Colombo Curry Paste
Yield: ½ cup (118 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
This fiery-hot curry blend from Martinique and Guadeloupe is named after Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, which is appropriate considering the heat levels of the curries from that island. The pepper of choice, shaped like the behind of Mrs. Jacques, is recommended because of its unique, fruity aroma. Habaneros are the perfect substitute.
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) turmeric
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) coriander seeds
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) mustard seeds
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) black peppercorns
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 (1-inch [2.5 cm]) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 Le Derriere de Madame Jacques peppers (or habaneros), stems and seeds removed, minced
1. In a spice mill, combine the turmeric, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Grind the mixture into a coarse powder.
2. Transfer this powder to a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, and chiles. Mix well, adding water as needed to achieve a medium paste.
3. Let sit for at least an hour to blend the flavors.
Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub
Yield: About ½ cup (118 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
Jamaican jerk barbecue is a fine art. When I visited a jerk center in Ocho Rios, the jerkmaster told me that the secret was in the spices—the rub that gives the pork and chicken such an intense, spicy-hot flavor. Most Jamaican jerk cooks use a dry rub, but on occasion, especially for fish or poultry, the rub is transformed into a paste or marinade by adding vegetable oil. This rub also can be sprinkled over steamed or grilled vegetables.
2 tablespoons (30 mL) onion powder
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground allspice
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground thyme
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cloves
2 teaspoons (10 mL) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (10 mL) habanero powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 mL) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store any unused rub in a sealed container in the freezer.
North Coast Jerk Marinade
Yield: 2-3 cups (500-708 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
Variations on Jamaican jerk sauces and marinades range from the early, simple pastes of three or four ingredients to the more modern and rather complicated concoctions with as many twenty-one spices, herbs, and vegetables. By varying the amount of vegetable oil and lime juice, the cook can change the consistency from a paste to a sauce. Traditionally, jerk marinade is used with pork, chicken, or fish.
¼ cup (59 mL) whole Jamaican pimento berries (or ⅛ cup [30 mL] ground allspice)
3 Scotch bonnet chiles (or habaneros), stems and seeds removed, chopped
10 green onions, trimmed and chopped
½ cup (118 mL) chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 bay leaves, crushed
1 (3-inch [7.5 cm]) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
⅓ cup (79 mL) fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (59 mL) vegetable oil
¼ cup (59 mL) lime juice
1. Roast the pimento berries in a dry skillet over high heat until they are aromatic, about 2 minutes. Remove them from the heat and crush them to a powder in a mortar or spice mill.
2. Add the pimento powder and the remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend with enough water to make
1. Toast all the seeds in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring well, until they
begin to pop. Lower the heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the seeds. Set aside to cool.
2. Once the seeds are completely cool, grind them finely in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. If you wish to make a curry powder, add the turmeric and mix well. Add the habanero powder for a hotter masala.
Colombo Curry Paste
Yield: ½ cup (118 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
This fiery-hot curry blend from Martinique and Guadeloupe is named after Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, which is appropriate considering the heat levels of the curries from that island. The pepper of choice, shaped like the behind of Mrs. Jacques, is recommended because of its unique, fruity aroma. Habaneros are the perfect substitute.
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) turmeric
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) coriander seeds
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) mustard seeds
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) black peppercorns
1½ tablespoons (22 mL) cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 (1-inch [2.5 cm]) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 Le Derriere de Madame Jacques peppers (or habaneros), stems and seeds removed, minced
1. In a spice mill, combine the turmeric, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Grind the mixture into a coarse powder.
2. Transfer this powder to a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, and chiles. Mix well, adding water as needed to achieve a medium paste.
3. Let sit for at least an hour to blend the flavors.
Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub
Yield: About ½ cup (118 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
Jamaican jerk barbecue is a fine art. When I visited a jerk center in Ocho Rios, the jerkmaster told me that the secret was in the spices—the rub that gives the pork and chicken such an intense, spicy-hot flavor. Most Jamaican jerk cooks use a dry rub, but on occasion, especially for fish or poultry, the rub is transformed into a paste or marinade by adding vegetable oil. This rub also can be sprinkled over steamed or grilled vegetables.
2 tablespoons (30 mL) onion powder
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground allspice
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground thyme
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cloves
2 teaspoons (10 mL) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (10 mL) habanero powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 mL) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store any unused rub in a sealed container in the freezer.
North Coast Jerk Marinade
Yield: 2-3 cups (500-708 mL)
Heat Scale: Hot
Variations on Jamaican jerk sauces and marinades range from the early, simple pastes of three or four ingredients to the more modern and rather complicated concoctions with as many twenty-one spices, herbs, and vegetables. By varying the amount of vegetable oil and lime juice, the cook can change the consistency from a paste to a sauce. Traditionally, jerk marinade is used with pork, chicken, or fish.
¼ cup (59 mL) whole Jamaican pimento berries (or ⅛ cup [30 mL] ground allspice)
3 Scotch bonnet chiles (or habaneros), stems and seeds removed, chopped
10 green onions, trimmed and chopped
½ cup (118 mL) chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 bay leaves, crushed
1 (3-inch [7.5 cm]) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
⅓ cup (79 mL) fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (59 mL) vegetable oil
¼ cup (59 mL) lime juice
1. Roast the pimento berries in a dry skillet over high heat until they are aromatic, about 2 minutes. Remove them from the heat and crush them to a powder in a mortar or spice mill.
2. Add the pimento powder and the remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend with enough water to make
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