This spice mixture is similar to curry powder. However, colombo powder contains roasted uncooked rice, which gives the powder a nutty taste, and also acts as a natural thickener when cooking, which makes this seasoning great for soups and stews. Use colombo powder in any recipe that you would use curry powder to spice up meats, poultry, or vegetables. Colombo powder is consumed mostly in the french west indies (guadeloupe, martinique, st. Martin and saint barthlemy (st. Barts) and the smaller islands of les saintes, marie-galante, and la dsirade. However, since its origins are indian, its also an ingredient in jamaican and trinidadian recipes. The spice mixture is also called poudre de colombo or west indian curry powder. This recipe calls for mostly bulk, whole spices: spices contain essential oils, which dissipate faster once ground; whole spices have a longer shelf life and a stronger essence. Also, several of the same spices are used in curry powder and garam masala, so you can make some of that, too. However, you can use pre-ground spices.