Ants Climbing a Tree
A classic Sichuan dish of glass noodles stir-fried with minced pork, the small bits of meat clinging to the noodles resemble ants climbing trees. Soft, savory, with a subtle spicy kick—an easy, comforting home-cooked meal.
Ingredients
14 items- Ground pork 100 g
- Dried mung bean vermicelli 150 g
- Light soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 1 tsp
- Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) 1 tbsp
- Shaoxing wine 1 tbsp
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Ginger 2 slices
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Sugar 1 tsp
- White pepper a pinch
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Cooking oil 2 tbsp
- Water 200 ml
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Place the dried vermicelli in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water, and soak for about 15 minutes until completely softened. Drain well, use kitchen scissors to cut into 15 cm lengths, and set aside. Do not use hot water, or the noodles will break easily when stir-fried.
In a small bowl, combine ground pork with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, a pinch of white pepper, and 1 tsp light soy sauce. Mix well and marinate for 5 minutes to remove any gamey taste.
In another small bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 200 ml water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. The dark soy sauce adds a rich reddish-brown color to the dish.
Heat a wok over medium heat and add 2 tbsp cooking oil. When the oil reaches about 150°C (a piece of ginger sizzles immediately), add the minced ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for about 10 seconds, then add 1 tbsp finely chopped doubanjiang. Reduce the heat to low and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until the oil turns red and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the paste.
Turn the heat to medium, add the marinated pork. Quickly break up the meat and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until it changes color and turns slightly crispy at the edges, releasing a delicious meaty aroma.
Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the softened vermicelli, using a spatula to gently toss and coat the noodles with the sauce. Once the liquid returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 3 minutes to allow the noodles to absorb the flavors.
Remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and stir-fry continuously until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the noodles are nicely glazed, about 1-2 minutes. The noodles should appear translucent and glossy with a rich red color. Sprinkle with chopped scallions, drizzle with 1 tsp sesame oil, toss a few times, then turn off the heat and plate.
Tips
1. Always soak vermicelli in cold water; hot water makes them mushy and prone to breaking during stir-frying. 2. Finely chop the doubanjiang to fully release its red oil and flavor. 3. Cook the pork over medium heat; high heat will toughen it. 4. Stir constantly when reducing the sauce to prevent sticking; add a splash of water if too dry. 5. Serve immediately as the noodles will harden when cooled.
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