Pepper Steak Noodle Soup

This soup is so flavorful! It's also hearty enough to stand on it's own for a meal.

Pepper Steak Noodle Soup
(Recipe from Every Day with Rachael Ray August 2010)

Yield: 4 Servings (at least)

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
3/4 pound thin-cut beef sirloin steak, very thinly sliced and patted dry
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander (about 1/2 palmful)
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 large green bell pepper—seeded quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper—seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 teaspoon five-spice powder (about 1/3 palmful)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or dry sherry
6 cups vegetable or beef stock
1/4 cup tamari or low-sodium tamari (eyeball the amount)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large bunch scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
A couple of handfuls crisp bean sprouts
Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, season the steak with salt, pepper and the coriander. In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat about 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, over high heat. Add the steak and cook for about 2 minutes on each side; transfer to a cutting board.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, to the skillet and add the bell peppers; cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic and five-spice powder and toss for a minute or two. Stir in the vinegar (or sherry), then add the stock and tamari and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir into the broth to thicken for a minute more. Add the steak, scallions and bean sprouts to the soup and turn off the heat.

To serve, twist bundles of the whole wheat noodles around a fork and place in bowls. Pour in the soup and top with the cilantro.