70g/2½oz dried Kashmiri red chillies
20 fresh curry leaves
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
2cm/¾in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1 red onion, finely sliced
150ml tin coconut milk
20²µ/¾´Ç³ú tamarind (from a block of tamarind), soaked in 200ml/7fl oz warm water
15²µ/½´Ç³ú black peppercorns
30g/1oz coriander seeds
15²µ/½´Ç³ú cumin seeds
3 tbsp Sri Lankan curry powder (see above)
15²µ/½´Ç³ú fennel seeds
pinch salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
soft white bread, to serve
500g/1lb 2oz raw prawns with shells on (or 300g/10½oz without shells)