Kitchen Recipe Collection
Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)
A classic Sichuan noodle dish named for its appearance. Savory, spicy minced pork (the ants) clings tightly to slippery glass noodles (the tree branches).
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 3
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 3 servings
- 150g mung bean vermicelli (glass noodles/cellophane noodles)
- 150g ground pork
- 1 tbsp Doubanjiang (chili bean paste), finely minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp chili oil
Equipment
- Wok
- Bowl for soaking
Instructions
- 1
Soak Noodles
Soak the glass noodles in warm (not boiling) water for 15 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain well.
- 2
Cut Noodles
Use scissors to cut the noodles once or twice so they aren't impossibly long to stir-fry.
- 3
Prep Doubanjiang
Mince the Doubanjiang so there are no large bean chunks; you want it to coat the meat evenly.
- 4
Heat Wok
Heat oil in a wok over medium heat.
- 5
Fry Pork
Add the ground pork. Stir-fry and break it into the tiniest possible crumbles (this is crucial for the 'ants' effect).
- 6
Fry Spices
When the pork is crispy, add the Doubanjiang. Fry until the oil turns red.
- 7
Add Aromatics
Add the garlic, ginger, and half of the scallions. Toss for 30 seconds.
- 8
Add Broth
Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
- 9
Cook Noodles
Add the soaked glass noodles to the broth. Stir to combine.
- 10
Absorb Liquid
Simmer for 3-5 minutes. The glass noodles will act like sponges and absorb all the flavorful broth, leaving the wok almost dry.
- 11
Final Toss
Once the liquid is absorbed, stir vigorously. The tiny pieces of pork will get tangled in and cling to the sticky noodles.
- 12
Serve
Drizzle with chili oil, garnish with the remaining scallions, and serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Do not boil the glass noodles beforehand; soaking them in warm water ensures they finish cooking in the wok by absorbing the savory broth.
- Make sure to break the pork up as finely as possible so it resembles ants.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Substitute the pork with finely minced dried shiitake mushrooms and firm tofu.
Nutrition Estimate
340 calories · 12g protein · 45g carbs · 12g fat · 1g fiber per serving
