What Is The Difference Between Jamaican And Indian Curry
The main difference between Jamaican and Indian curry is that Jamaican curry is made with curry powder while Indian curry is not made with curry powder. Jamaican curry uses a lower amount of turmeric and other spices as compared to Indian curry. Jamaican curry powder has a different appearance than that Indian curry powder.
People unfamiliar with the Caribbeans history are often surprised by the prevalence of curry in Jamaican cooking. The most prolific curried dish is, obviously, the chicken curried, but Jamaican cooking is not going to limit you to just chicken. In the Caribbean, curry dishes include all sorts of other popular Jamaican flavors, such as ackee, goat, and shrimp.
While Indian curry powder is a spice blend, Jamaican curry powder typically has a higher percentage of turmeric, and is packed with Jamaican flavors such as pimento, Scotch Bonnet pepper, and personal preferences such as nutmeg. You will have to boost the more muted flavors in Jamaican curry powder by adding chilies if you are looking to use it instead of the more spicy Indian Curry. With its fragrant mix of lightly toasted seeds, warming spices, and chilli powder, Jamaican curry powder not only will please your palate, but will also make for many different recipes that you can utilize. An authentic Jamaican curry powder is made from a variety of locally-sourced ingredients, so its unique flavors are a result of blending spices.
Pre-made curry powder spice mixes are commonly used for Jamaican curries, typically consisting of a mix of turmeric, cumin, paprika, cardamom, garlic, and fenugreek, among other spices. In contrast, Indian curry powders such as the Madras curry powder are not really Indian spice mixes, although they use Indian spices. Instead of buying ready-made spice blends, Indian families cook their own curries and mix the spices together in their own kitchens. Indian families make their curries by themselves and combine spices as they cook, rather than using a pre-made mix.
Indians do not use the curry powder This is a British concept, instead, they construct their own dishes using single spices. Curry is simply a term used to describe the blend of spices in Indian cooking; the dish itself is not known there as curry. Curry is not just one single spice; it is instead a blend of spices, and the leaves of the curry plant are the key ingredient in Indian cuisine. Curry is a saucy dish which comes in a variety of forms, tending towards more of a spicy I.M.O., usually containing cardamom and turmeric.
Curry comes in many types, since it has many spices, always being pungent & more savory in tone. Curry chicken is mainly served with white rice, which is steam-cooked, for Jamaican meals, but can be served with rice and peas as well, for a weekend lunch. While this Jamaican Curry chicken has some common curry ingredients such as coconut milk and spices, there is a slight sweetness in the heat, and the spices are tangier than in some other curries. The sauce is thick and rich, so this Jamaican curry chicken is comforting on a cold night if that is when you are craving it, but the spices work wonderfully well even on hottest summer days.
| Jamaican | Indian |
| Jamaican Curry uses more chili powder | Indian Curry contains less chilli powder |
| It is made from curry powder | Indian curry is not made from curry powder |
| Jamaican curry is not much healthy | It is more healthier |
The biggest difference between Jamaican Curry and spicy dishes made at Indian restaurants is that Jamaican Curry uses more chili powder compared to Indian dishes containing spicy chili. The addition of allspice, which is typically not used in India, is one of the biggest differences between Indian curry and Jamaican curry. A big difference between Jamaican and Indian curry is that Indian dishes use more chili powder rather than fresh chili. Indian curries use a higher quantity of chili powder compared to Jamaican ones, hence, a comparison is evident.
Jamaican meat is usually spiced up with curry, one of the Caribbeans most popular spices. Known for tangy flavours, Jamaican chicken curry involves cooking slowly on a low fire, then adding spices to give it a potent taste. In the 17th century, workers from eastern India settled in British colonies in Jamaica, and some may have brought the dish with them. It is believed that the traditional Jamaican chicken curry (and the spices associated with it) came to Jamaica during the 17th century, when workers from East India were brought to the British colonies. It is commonly reported that the curry powder concept came to Jamaica through Indian indentured labourers, who migrated to Jamaica and the rest of the West Indies during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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As you would suspect, the curry portion of the Goat Curry comes from these Indian and Chinese immigrants, who played a part in developing Jamaican food. More Chinese and East Indian influences are also found in Jamaican food such as Roti and curried goat, resulting from the fact that the indentured laborers that replaced slaves upon their emancipation brought with them their culinary talents (particularly curry, which Jamaican chefs occasionally used to spice up the goat meat on special occasions). Because there were many more Indian influences on these former colonies of the Southern Caribbean compared to islands further north, you will find curries served alongside the roti, potatoes, and Curry Goat, as well as lobster, chickpeas, duck, and other proteins indigenous to the islands.
You will find that thyme is often used in the islands cuisine, and this is what sets Caribbean curries apart from those from the rest of the world. Spices such as turmeric and allspice are used in Caribbean curries, whereas curry leaves can be used in India.
In India, curries are actually only combinations of spices, and India does not really have a dish called curry. While Indian curries are made with fresh ingredients, they are usually added to dishes with high levels of fat and oil. While Indian dishes typically use more dried spices, Thai cooking typically uses curry pastes and fresh herbs instead. Jamaican curries have more chilies in them compared to the ones cooked in Indian food. With that, Indian food has that reddish tone. Indian food is usually marinated with an Indian spice blend once it is cooked.
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There are some similarities, but Jamaican curries are typically made using curry powder, while curry in India is typically sauce-based, made from coconut milk or cream, and blended with tomatoes, herbs, and spices. If you are only buying a can of curry powder, chances are that whatever is indian (which, again, is a British invention) is probably going to be spicier than Jamaican. There is no direct substitute because of the specific herbs/spices used that are unique to that country (pimento, thyme, turmeric, nutmeg, etc. Indian curry powder does not have the same flavours, and will often change the flavours from the authentic Caribbean cooking, even when adjusted/adapted. Whether chicken curry is for you or not is something Jamaican cooking cannot deny. Spices like curry, beef, and pork can all be dressed up in curry powder, and goes great in dishes including our Curry Goat Recipe, which is particularly tasty.
Is Jamaican curry powder distinct from Indian curry powder?
When making authentic Jamaican curry powder, which differs from Indian curry powder, local ingredients are used to produce a unique spice blend. This recipe is a tasty combination of lightly toasted seeds, savory herbs, and chili powder that can be used to season various foods.
Is Jamaican curry similar to Indian curry?
Jamaican cuisine has been influenced by Indian culinary flavors, which help give a combined touch of enriched taste to their curry. Like in Indian cuisine, Jamaicans serve curry goat with roti and Callaloo on festive occasions and use Indian spices and bonnet pepper for cooking curry.
Can I substitute Indian curry powder for Jamaican curry powder?
Yes, you can substitute Indian curry for Jamaican curry. However, be mindful that Indian curry can be hotter, so you will be required to use less. If you want to enhance the flavor or increase the spices in your curry, you must add Jamaican flavors like allspice or thyme.