While colonizing India, the British discovered a taste for the savory Indian dishes they were served. Looking to recreate the flavors of South India, British manufacturers formulated a ready-made powdered blend that came to be known as curry. And, although many dishes can be made by frying curry leaves (from the citrus fruit family), curry powder typically does not have any curry leaves. In fact, the powder is usually a mix of varying amounts of cumin, coriander, allspice, pimento, turmeric, ginger, dry mustard, fenugreek and black pepper, depending on region.

The British soon began to distribute their powder along the trade routes which inevitably delivered it to the shores of their colonized West Indian islands, and then the rest of the world. So, in short, the curry powder that you use to season your chicken, shrimp or goat with is not the same as going out to your favorite Indian spot in England for a curry and none of this exists in India. Simple right?

Ingredients

• 3 cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sweet milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp Benjamin's Vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and set aside in a cast iron skillet.

Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Mix all ingredients together and spread on top of casserole

Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes uncovered or until done.

Hopefully, in the long days of COVID quarantine, we have each found something to make each week a little easier. Having recently hit the one-year mark, I find myself leaning into one of my main “just get through” secrets - engaging my sense of smell to take me down memory lane.

While we may be bound to our home or state, this doesn’t mean we can’t give our senses a little respite from the ordinary and mundane. Personally, my favorite thing to do is change my perfume (I buy perfumes whenever I travel so each one reminds me of a vacation), I know that doesn’t really work for everyone, so what else can you do?

Look within...your kitchen cabinets. What spices do you have? What vacations did you take where you loved a specific meal? What do you need to recreate that? Being Jamaican, I always come back to two things, curry and pepper sauce. Some people lean towards a spicy curried goat, but it’s always chicken for me. I have had curry chicken pretty much everywhere I have ever visited in Jamaica and it is one of the first dishes I have ever made for my kids. Additionally, pepper makes it into our food in all forms - from the fresh piece of scotch bonnet on my father’s dinner plate to the various pepper sauces [ https://trinjamdist.com/hot-sauces/ &91; available across the Caribbean. From mild to blazing, each island thinks theirs is the best, but they all rate in my book.

So, take a trip down memory lane. Your taste buds will thank you.

Where can I find the best Curry Chicken recipe? We suggest you ask a Jamaican grandmother and start your shopping here. [https://trinjamdist.com/search.php?search_query=curry &91;

Next Blog: What is the difference between “curried” and “a curry”?