Gourmet's tips
Some people think that West Indian "colombo" and Indian or Sri Lankan "massala" are related. However if the Singhalese brought this spice mixture to the West Indies in the nineteenth-century, the original recipe must have been lost somewhere in the Atlantic, for today few vestiges of the original remain, except the name Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

In the West Indies this spice mixture is used to flavor a favourite local dish called "colombo," made with goat, pork or chicken.

3 cloves of garlic A few chives A few thyme leaves 2 chilies 1/2 tsp. toasted coriander seed 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1 tsp. mustard powder or mustard seed 1/2 tsp. anise 1/2 tsp. cumin Optional: Fenugreek Ginger Black pepper Cloves Saffron Tamarind