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3. Heat 2 tbsp (30ml) coconut oil in a wide pan over medium-high until it shimmers and a mustard seed thrown in pops immediately — this is your temperature signal.

4. Add 200g (1 cup) sliced shallots. Cook 8–10 min, stirring every 2 min, until deep amber at the edges — not brown, not pale. This is the flavour base; don't rush it.

PRO TIP: Add a small piece of dried kokum alongside the tamarind — it deepens the sourness without sharpening it.

PLATING: Ladle into a wide, shallow bowl. Arrange 4–5 prawns with tails visible above the surface. Scatter torn curry leaves and a pinch of chilli flakes. Pour a thread of raw coconut oil across the top — it pools in amber ribbons against the dark gravy. The hero shot: overhead, tight crop, steam rising.

Dietary swap: Replace prawns with firm tofu (press 30 min, cube, pan-fry golden first). The tamarind-coconut base is naturally vegan.

Budget version: Frozen shell-on prawns, thawed overnight. Flavour loss is minimal if the base is right.

📱 TikTok / Reels hook: "This looks like it took all day. It didn't."

📸 Instagram caption (excerpt): The thing about Andhra prawn curry is the sourness arrives first and the heat arrives last — that's the whole point. Save this for the weekend when you want something that actually tastes like somewhere...

📌 Pinterest title: Coastal Andhra Tamarind Prawn Curry — Gluten-Free, Weeknight, 35 Mins

🏪 Cloud kitchen (40–60 words): Wild-caught prawns in a slow-cooked tamarind-coconut gravy. Regionally specific coastal Andhra recipe. GF · dairy-free. Pairs with steamed rice. Reheats in 3 min. Feeds 2 comfortably.