Telangana Royyala Iguru Prawn Dry Spice Andhra

Method

1. 1

   Marinate prawns: Rub with turmeric and salt. Rest 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Heat oil: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide pan.

3. 3

   Cook onions until deep golden: Cook finely chopped onions for 15 minutes until very deep golden.

4. 4

   Add ginger and garlic: Cook 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Add tomatoes: Cook 6 minutes until completely soft and oil separates.

6. 6

   Add spice powders: Turn low. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Stir 2 minutes. The masala should be very thick, almost dry.

7. 7

   Add prawns: Add marinated prawns and curry leaves. Stir on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes — the prawns cook rapidly.

8. 8

   Cook completely dry: Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring every minute, for 5 to 6 more minutes. Any liquid from the prawns must completely evaporate. The goal is a completely dry preparation where the thick masala coats each prawn.

9. 9

   Add garam masala: Add garam masala. Stir.

10. 10

    Serve: Scatter coriander leaves. Serve as a dry side dish alongside rice and dal — not as a gravy.

11. 11

    Note: Royyala Iguru (royyala = prawns, iguru = dry-cooked preparation in Telugu) is the Telangana-Andhra style of cooking prawns completely dry — the iguru technique (cooking until all liquid evaporates and the masala dries around the ingredient) is used for many Andhra preparations and produces a more concentrated, intense flavour than gravy-based cooking. Served as a side dish rather than a main curry, a small amount of royyala iguru alongside plain rice dal is the standard way of eating in coastal Andhra-Telangana households.