Curry dinner with saffron rice and condiments

Bake the coconuts at 400F for 20 minutes until the shell cracks.

Pierce the three indents and drain the coconut water, then open the shell.

Shave off the remaining brown skin with a vegetable peeler, wash and drain the meat, and cut it into half inch pieces; grate some and set it aside covered.

Blend the coconut with enough boiling water to cover until smooth, then squeeze and strain it through a heavy dish towel over a bowl to make coconut milk.

Bring the rinsed basmati rice, water, butter, salt and saffron to a boil, stir, then cover and simmer low for 10 minutes until the water is absorbed.

Trim the leg of lamb and cut it into one and a half inch cubes; add the cubed short rib.

Melt three tablespoons ghee in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the sliced onions, cover and cook low and slow 10 minutes until translucent but not browned.

Fluff the rice, salt it again, and hold it in another pan over simmering water.

Stir in the curry powder and cook three minutes.

Stir in the flour and another tablespoon of ghee to a malleable paste and cook slow for three minutes.

Whisk in the simmering beef stock vigorously.

Add the chopped apple, minced garlic and raisins.

Add red wine, ground thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Brown the meat quickly in a large frying pan over high heat in a film of oil, tossing and turning, to a light brown on the sides.

Add coconut milk and the browned meat to the pot, return to a simmer, then hold just below a simmer, uncovered, for half an hour, adding coconut milk as it thickens.

Condiment: peel, halve and seed the cucumber, dice it with green pepper and minced green onion, and season with salt and pepper.

Condiment: crush the peanuts.

Condiment: chop a hard boiled egg.

Condiment: saute the pine nuts lightly in a little oil and salt them.

Condiment: chop half a banana and cover it until needed.

Condiment: toss cooked lentils with minced onion, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Heat neutral oil to 350F and fry each papadom a few seconds a side, then drain on a paper towel on a baking tray.

Plate the rice, ladle the curry over it, and pile on the lentils, peanuts, cucumber, egg, banana, pine nuts, mango chutney and grated coconut.