Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)
This Ants Climbing a Tree recipe combines springy glass noodles with savory ground pork and a spicy Sichuan-style sauce. It is quick, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
Servings: 2 portions
Calories: 695kcal
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 200 gr glass noodles
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 200 gr ground pork
- 1 stalk green onion
Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sichuan chili bean paste
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 chilis
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 250 ml water
Instructions
- Soak the glass noodles in warm water until soft and pliable, then set aside. Heat some cooking oil in a wok or large pan. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add the ground pork and break it into small pieces with a spatula so it does not clump together.
- Stir-fry the pork until it changes color and is mostly cooked through. Add the chili bean paste and soy sauce, followed by the Shaoxing wine, mushroom powder, chili powder, pepper, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame oil. Add fresh chilies if you prefer more heat. Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Drain the softened glass noodles well and add them to the wok. Toss and stir the noodles through the sauce so they absorb the seasoning evenly. Long chopsticks together with a spatula make it easier to separate and toss the noodles. Continue cooking until the noodles are translucent, tender, and most of the sauce has been absorbed. Add the chopped green onions and toss briefly. Serve warm.
Notes
- Do not oversoak the glass noodles. Soak them only until they are soft and pliable. They will continue cooking in the sauce, so soaking them for too long can make them overly soft or mushy.
- Drain the noodles well. Excess soaking water can dilute the sauce and weaken the flavor, so let the noodles drain thoroughly before adding them to the wok.
- Break the ground pork into small pieces. The tiny pieces of pork should cling to the noodles, which is part of what gives Ants Climbing a Tree its characteristic appearance and texture.
- Adjust the spice level to your taste. Chili bean paste already adds heat, so taste before adding extra chili powder or fresh chilies. For more of that classic Sichuan numbing sensation, add a little more Sichuan peppercorn.
- Let the noodles absorb the sauce. After adding the glass noodles, keep tossing them over medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed. This is what gives the noodles their savory flavor.
- Use chopsticks and a spatula together. Long chopsticks are especially helpful for lifting and separating the noodles while the spatula helps turn everything from the bottom of the wok.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 598mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 859IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg