INDIAN-SPICED PEPPER STEAK

Steps:

• Gather all your ingredients and place around large work area, near stove.
• Pat meat dry and cut it into 3 or 4 portions, then thinly slice the meat into strips against the grain of the meat.
• Place a small skillet with seeds and peppercorns over medium heat and toast a minute until fragrant. Place in spice mill and grind. Combine with chili powder, garam masala and turmeric. (Ready-ground spices can be substituted but toasted whole seeds and peppercorns that are freshly ground are a little deeper and bigger in flavor.)
• Peel and chop red onion. Seed and thinly slice bell pepper. Thinly slice or chop the fresh chili peppers. Seed if you prefer milder food or leave seeds in for extra spicy. Grate or mince ginger and garlic.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add oil, 2 turns of the pan, and cook beef in single layer to brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and remove to platter. Add more oil, another turn of the pan, and add onions and peppers, toss 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and curry leaves and toss a minute more. Add beef back to pan, sprinkle in spice blend, toss to combine with peppers and douse with lemon juice, sherry or vinegar. Garnish beef with cilantro. Serve beef with rice or grilled naan, mango chutney and Mumbai Mule.
• Bring water (with or without aromatics) to a boil. Add rice and salt and cook in boiling water, 12 minutes. Rinse in strainer using HOT water, drain and remove aromatics if using.
• For the simple syrup: Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar is melted. Add lavender and let cool. Store in refrigerator.
• For the mule: Run a fresh cut lime over the rim of a copper mug or rocks glass. Place rim of glass upside down into a saucer filled with chili powder to coat the rim. Fill glass with ice. Place vodka, lime juice, turmeric, ginger beer and 1/2 ounce lavender simple syrup into glass. Stir gently and garnish with a lavender sprig and lime wheel.