Beef and Noodle Soup à la Vietnamese

Chunks of beef, soothing noodles, and crisp bean sprouts come together in a hot and spicy broth, making this soup a best bet for cold nights. Intriguingly flavored, it is based on a Vietnamese dish, and although hardly an authentic rendition, the contrast of hot with sour and the abundance of cilantro is typical of the tastes of Southeast Asia.

I usually precede this with a green salad and serve ice cream for dessert.