Tamarind Shrimp With Coconut Milk

Insane? The chef who provided this recipe stayed true to the way his family prepared it. I'm Indian, and we cook our shrimp with tails. Nobody is miserable; it's the way it's always been done. And, believe it or not, we eat with our fingers, so it's easy to remove the tails. If you prefer cooking your shrimp without tails while appropriating our cuisine, you're free to do so, but it's pretty insulting to say our style is insane.

I made this recipe tonight, following the instructions exactly. Two of the marinade ingredients are dry, the third is a mere teaspoon of paste. Why this instruction about excess or residual marinade and one reader's complaint about the shrimp being two liquidy to saute? My shrimp came out of the fridge in their marinade as dry as they were when they went in. I had no residual marinade at all, but could have used some! Am I missing something here?

This looks marvelous and I want our family to try it. But (but): WHY do virtually all shrimp recipes tell you to keep the tails ON?! They add little or nothing to the flavor, and they compel you to reach into the dish and pick up each shrimp with your fingers instead of with your fork! I don't understand it - and I Don't Do It! Take the tails off, and keep your fingers out of the food (unless it's a Moroccan dish, for example, that you're MEANT to eat with fingers!)