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Stovetop: Tamarind Shrimp Curry

February 27, 2026

Stovetop: Tamarind Shrimp Curry
tamarind paste

WITH THIS CURRY, VISIT INDIA’S MALABAR COAST. 

The southwest region of the Indian subcontinent and the western coastline of India are where your spices are likely grown. Maybe you’ve heard about houseboats in Kerala and the black pepper farms of Tellicherry (Thalassery)?

On a visit to shoot footage for my upcoming television show, I had a chance to stay in a local bed and breakfast run by an Indian couple. They had a sense of humor and would set a jar of Costco Tellicherry black pepper on our breakfast table. The wife was a phenomenal cook who allowed us to shoot footage of her cooking in her kitchen, grabbing fresh tamarind pods from the trees in the back, and roasting spices. One particular moment seared in my mind is her use of coriander seeds. She originally used them in a pumpkin dish, and when I asked where the unique flavor came from, she showed me how she dry-roasted the coriander and then ground it into a deep, reddish-orange powder. Much like red dirt, if you’re familiar with Hawai’i.

I’ve roasted spices many times, but this focus on coriander was unique to me and an example of how seemingly simple techniques can alter a dish completely. Remember, once you dry roast a spice, the flavor changes — I call it getting double duty from your spices. Couple that with the sour notes of tamarind and coconut milk, and with just one dish, you will be transported thousands of miles away.

xoxo Anupy

Stovetop: Tamarind Shrimp Curry

Prep: ~30 minutes
Cook: ~35 minutes
Total: ~65 minutes
Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup coriander seeds
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric powder, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons red chile powder, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon plus 1 pinch salt, divided
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 20 fresh curry leaves
  • 1 large yellow or red onion, finely minced
  • 1-2 fresh Thai or serrano chiles, stems removed and finely diced
  • 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, minced
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind puree
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ cup coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Place the coriander seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat and dry roast for 5 minutes, until the seeds turn reddish brown. Cool and using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, process into a fine powder. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, ½ teaspoon of the red chile powder, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, cover, and set aside until ready to use.
  3. In a 6-quart saute pan, warm 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Add the shrimp and sear and turn once. Cook for a total of 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean bowl.
  4. Return the pan to the medium-high heat and add the remaining coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Add the curry leaves and cook for about 30-40 seconds. Add the onion, the pinch of salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, the remaining 1 teaspoon of red chile powder, and the fresh chiles to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  5. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground coriander and stir well.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, the tamarind puree, the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and the brown sugar to the saute pan. Simmer for 6 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.
  7. Slowly add the water, ¼ cup at a time, to the saute pan and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the oil starts to separate slightly and the ingredients start to pull together. Add the coconut milk and cook for 3 minutes, until warmed through.
  8. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until they are cooked through and slightly opaque. Remove from the heat. Serve with basmati rice. 

[[ recipeID=recipe-2mm2e7yoc, title=Stovetop: Tamarind Shrimp Curry ]]




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Stovetop: Tamarind Shrimp Curry

by Anupy Singla, Indian As Apple Pie

Servings: 6

Keywords: Indian Recipes, Curry, Shrimp, Kerala

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hours 5 mins

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup coriander seeds
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric powder, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons red chile powder, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon plus 1 pinch salt, divided
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 20 fresh curry leaves
  • 1 large yellow or red onion, finely minced
  • 1-2 fresh Thai or serrano chiles, stems removed and finely diced
  • 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, minced
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind puree
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ cup coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Place the coriander seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat and dry roast for 5 minutes, until the seeds turn reddish brown. Cool and using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, process into a fine powder. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, ½ teaspoon of the red chile powder, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, cover, and set aside until ready to use.
  3. In a 6-quart saute pan, warm 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Add the shrimp and sear and turn once. Cook for a total of 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean bowl.
  4. Return the pan to the medium-high heat and add the remaining coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Add the curry leaves and cook for about 30-40 seconds. Add the onion, the pinch of salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, the remaining 1 teaspoon of red chile powder, and the fresh chiles to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  5. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground coriander and stir well.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, the tamarind puree, the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and the brown sugar to the saute pan. Simmer for 6 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.
  7. Slowly add the water, ¼ cup at a time, to the saute pan and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the oil starts to separate slightly and the ingredients start to pull together. Add the coconut milk and cook for 3 minutes, until warmed through.
  8. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until they are cooked through and slightly opaque. Remove from the heat. Serve with basmati rice. 

Notes

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