Prep and measure everything. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a shallow bowl. Dry shrimp will sear, not steam, when they hit the hot pan or grill — that gives a better crust and texture.

Make the marinade: in a bowl combine 60 ml (4 tbsp) fresh lime juice, 60 ml (4 tbsp) tequila (optional), 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil (reserve remaining oil for cooking), 4 pinches smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Pour 3/4 of this mixture over the shrimp and toss to coat. Reserve the rest for finishing or drizzling. Marinate 10–15 minutes maximum — the acid will start to 'cook' the shrimp if left much longer and can make them rubbery.

Char the poblanos: place the whole poblanos directly on a gas burner, under a broiler, or over a hot grill and char until skin is blackened on all sides (about 8–10 minutes total), turning frequently. The high heat blisters the skin and imparts smoky flavor.

Steam and peel the poblanos: transfer charred poblanos to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skins so they peel easily — this prevents scrubbing away flavor and keeps the flesh tender. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the blackened skin, remove seeds and stems, and slice into 1/2‑cm strips. Season lightly with salt.

Cook the couscous: choose the water ratio based on the type of couscous. For regular (small) couscous, use 1 part couscous to 1.25 parts boiling water by weight — for 320 g couscous use ~400 ml boiling water or stock. For Israeli (pearl) couscous, use 1:1.75 — about 560 ml. Bring the water/stock to a boil with 1 tsp kosher salt, stir in the couscous, cover, and remove from heat for regular couscous; let sit 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. For Israeli couscous, simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until al dente, then drain any excess. Stir in 1 tbsp butter (optional) and 1 tbsp olive oil and let rest. Fluffing with a fork introduces air so grains stay separate and light.

Fold in mango and cilantro: while the couscous is still warm, fold in the diced mango and 3 tbsp chopped cilantro. Warm couscous helps release aromas from fruit and herbs and melds flavors without cooking the mango — you want juicy bright pieces, not mush.

Make the avocado cream: in a blender or food processor combine the flesh of 1 avocado, the reserved marinade (or 1 tbsp each lime juice and olive oil if you omitted tequila), a pinch of smoked paprika, a small pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of water to loosen. Blend until silky and smooth. The cream cools the plate, lends richness and ties the lime and tequila flavors together; thinning to your preferred consistency makes it easy to dot or smear on the plate.

Heat the pan or grill for the shrimp: preheat a cast‑iron skillet or grill over high heat until very hot (2–3 minutes). High, direct heat creates an immediate sear and caramelization on the shrimp, locking in juices and giving color and flavor.

Sear the shrimp: add 1 tbsp olive oil to the hot pan (or oil the grill grates) and shake off excess marinade from shrimp. Sear shrimp in a single layer in batches so they have room — about 1–1.5 minutes per side for large shrimp (they cook very quickly). Turn once when the first side is golden and the edges start to turn opaque. Overcrowding the pan lowers the temperature and causes steaming rather than searing.

Finish the shrimp: when shrimp are just cooked through (opaque with a slight curl), transfer to a plate and sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if desired. Let them rest 1–2 minutes — shrimp continue to carryover cook and resting prevents them from drying out.

Assemble and plate: spoon warm mango couscous into shallow bowls, fan several slices of charred poblano across the top, place 4–6 shrimp per portion over the couscous, and either dot or smear the avocado cream alongside. Drizzle any reserved marinade (if not fully used) or a little extra olive oil, and finish with an extra pinch of smoked paprika and a few cilantro leaves for color. A final squeeze of lime brightens everything.

Serve immediately: this dish is best warm — the contrast of hot, smoky shrimp and couscous with cool avocado cream and sweet mango is the point. If you must hold, keep components separate and reheat the couscous/shrimp briefly on the stove so the avocado cream stays fresh.