My Mother’s Sunday Curry From Guadeloupe

Sunday was Colombo day in my mother’s house.

She would start the pot in the morning, before church. By the time we came back, the smell had settled into the curtains. The chicken was almost done. The potatoes were soaking up the gravy. The whole island felt like it was inside our kitchen.

Colombo is the Guadeloupean curry. It came to my island with workers from India in the 19th century and stayed. We made it our own. The spice blend has its own name, poudre de Colombo. The dish is a Sunday institution. Every family has their version. Every grandmother believes hers is the best.

This is my mother’s. I am giving it to you.

Recipe at a glance

• Cuisine: French Caribbean (Guadeloupe)
• Prep: 15 minutes • Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes • Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Serves: 6
• Featured sauce: Full Feast Caribbean Sauce Creole
• Heat level: Mild to medium (gentle warmth)
• Diet: Gluten free, dairy free

Ingredients 

For the chicken and marinade:

• 1.5 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in, skin on
• Juice of 2 limes
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp Full Feast Caribbean Sauce Creole
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

For the Colombo spice blend (poudre de Colombo):

• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground fenugreek (or yellow mustard powder)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground cloves

If you can find pre-mixed poudre de Colombo, use 4 tbsp.

For the curry:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 thumb of fresh ginger, grated
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into rounds
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 tin chopped tomatoes)
• 600 ml chicken stock or water
• 4 tbsp Full Feast Caribbean Sauce Creole
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• A handful of fresh coriander or parsley, to finish
• Lime wedges, to serve

Preparation 

1. Marinate the chicken. Mix the lime juice, garlic, 2 tbsp Caribbean Sauce Creole, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken. Rub everything in. Cover and rest for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better. Two hours is the proper way.

2. Brown the chicken. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Take the chicken out of the marinade (keep the marinade). Brown the chicken pieces in two batches, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate.

3. Cook the onions. In the same pot, add the last tbsp of oil and the sliced onions. Lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and just starting to brown. This is where the flavour builds.

4. Add aromatics. Add the chopped garlic and grated ginger. Cook for another minute. The smell will rise.

5. Add the spices. Tip in the Colombo spices. Stir constantly for 30 seconds. The spices will smell like a market in Pointe-à-Pitre. Do not let them burn.

6. Build the sauce. Add the chopped tomatoes, the leftover marinade, and 4 tbsp Caribbean Sauce Creole. Stir until everything is combined.

7. Add the chicken back. Tuck the chicken pieces into the sauce. Pour over the stock or water. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.

8. Add the vegetables. Add the potato chunks and carrots. Stir gently to settle them in.

9. Cover and cook. Cover the pot. Lower the heat. Simmer for 1 hour. Stir every 20 minutes. The chicken will become tender. The potatoes will start to break down slightly and thicken the sauce.

10. Check and finish. After an hour, taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thin, take the lid off for the last 10 minutes. If it is too thick, add a splash of water.

11. Serve. Spoon over plain rice. Scatter fresh coriander or parsley on top. Serve with lime wedges and a small dish of Caribbean Hot Sauce on the side, for those who want more heat.

The role of Caribbean Sauce Creole in this dish

Sauce Creole is rich, warming, and gently spiced. It is built for slow cooking.

When you add it at the start (in the marinade), it goes into the chicken. When you add it again with the tomatoes, it gives the gravy its body and depth. The two doses are the secret to a Colombo that tastes like it took longer than it did.

Caribbean Sauce Creole is the closest jar version of the sauce my mother used to make from scratch. The same warm spices, the same slow-cooked feel. Without it, you would need to build that flavour up yourself with hours of work. With it, you have a head start.

Tips from my kitchen

Bone-in chicken matters here. The bones release flavour and gelatin into the sauce as it simmers. This is what makes the gravy silky. Boneless thighs work in a pinch but the result is thinner.

Marinate the day before. Colombo is one of the dishes that is better the day after you cook it. If you can, make it Saturday for Sunday lunch. The flavours deepen overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently.

Use a heavy pot. A cast-iron casserole, a heavy saucepan, anything with thick walls. The slow even heat is what makes the chicken tender.

Do not rush the spices. When you toast the spice blend in the oil, that 30 seconds is doing a lot of work. The oils in the spices come out. The flavour bloom is what gives Colombo its proper smell.

Always serve with lime. A squeeze at the end cuts through the richness. Without it, the dish feels heavy. With it, it sings.

What to serve it with

Plain white rice is the proper Caribbean way. Long-grain or basmati. No need to make it fancy.

Red beans cooked with thyme on the side, if you want the full plate.

Fried plantain. Always fried plantain.

A simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut the richness. Cucumber, tomato, a drizzle of oil.

For drinks: a cold beer or a glass of crisp white wine. Or, if you are feeling like home, a ‘ti punch with lime and rum.

FAQ

Can I make Colombo with lamb or fish instead?

Yes. Lamb shoulder is traditional in Guadeloupe. Use the same recipe but cook for 2 hours. Fish (like cod or snapper) is also done, but you cook the sauce first, then add the fish for the last 10 minutes only. Otherwise the fish breaks up.

What if I cannot find poudre de Colombo?

The blend in this recipe is the closest substitute. You can also use a mild Indian curry powder, but the result is slightly different. The Caribbean blend is gentler, with more cardamom and clove.

Is this dish spicy?

It is gently warm, not hot. The Caribbean Sauce Creole has only mild heat. If you want more spice, add half a chopped scotch bonnet pepper with the onions, or serve with Caribbean Hot Sauce on the side for guests to add their own.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes. Replace the chicken with two tins of chickpeas (drained) and add another potato. Cook for 30 minutes instead of an hour. The Colombo spice blend still does the work.

How long does it keep?

3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer. It actually tastes better on day 2.

Final word from me

Colombo is not a quick recipe. It is not meant to be.

This is the food of Sundays. Of long lunches. Of family that argues and laughs around the table. You start the pot in the morning. You set the table when you smell it is nearly ready.

Cook it once. The first time, follow the recipe. The second time, change one thing. By the fifth time, it will be your own. That is how my mother taught me. That is how you become a cook.

JP