1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Put the chilies, ginger and garlic through the finest blade of a meat grinder. Or combine the chilies, ginger root and garlic on a cutting board and, with a cleaver or large, sharp knife, chop them together as finely as possible.
2. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, drop in the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 3 minutes, until they are soft and transparent but not brown.
3. Stir in the chilies, ginger and garlic, and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add the ground beef, mashing it with the back of a spoon to break up any lumps.
4. When no traces of pink remain in the meat, stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, lime juice and coconut. Remove the pan from the heat and taste for seasoning.
5. Divide the pastry dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick, and with a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut it into 2½ -inch rounds.
6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, roll out into another circle and cut out rounds as before. For each curry puff, place 1 teaspoon of the beef mixture in the center of a round of dough.
7. Moisten the edges with a finger dipped in water, and fold the round in half over the filling, then turn the ends slightly toward each other to make a pastry crescent enclosing the filling completely.
8. Gently press all the edges together with your fingertips. Roll, cut, fill and shape the remaining pastry in a similar fashion. As each curry puff is finished set it aside on a plate.
9. Arrange the curry puffs about an inch apart on 2 large ungreased baking sheets and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.
