Ants Climbing a Tree (Sichuan Glass Noodles with Spicy Pork)

Name: Ants Climbing a Tree (Sichuan Glass Noodles with Spicy Pork)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: 5 oz (140 g) dried sweet potato glass noodles, soaked in warm water 15 minutes until pliable, then drained; 8 oz (225 g) ground pork, preferably 20% fat, at room temperature for 10 minutes; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or canola; 2 tbsp (36 g) Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), any large bean pieces chopped finely; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic, minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and minced; 4 stalks (60 g) scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine; 1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, hot or at room temperature; 1½ tbsp (23 ml) light soy sauce; 1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground white pepper; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp (5 ml) chili oil, optional extra heat (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy glass noodles braised in a savory, chili-red sauce studded with crumbly browned pork. Doubanjiang, garlic and ginger give deep Sichuan flavor, and the whole dish comes together in one wok in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 4 servings as part of a shared meal (about 5 cups total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

5 oz (140 g) dried sweet potato glass noodles, soaked in warm water 15 minutes until pliable, then drained
8 oz (225 g) ground pork, preferably 20% fat, at room temperature for 10 minutes
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or canola
2 tbsp (36 g) Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), any large bean pieces chopped finely
4 cloves (15 g) garlic, minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 stalks (60 g) scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, hot or at room temperature
1½ tbsp (23 ml) light soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground white pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) chili oil, optional extra heat (optional)

Equipment (5)

14-inch (35 cm) wok or 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet with a lid
Large heatproof bowl for soaking noodles
Wok spatula or wooden spoon
Kitchen scissors (to cut noodles, optional)
Fine-mesh sieve or colander

Steps

Before you start

Use sweet potato starch glass noodles (often labeled 'dang myeon' or 'fen tiao'); they stay chewy when braised. Mung bean noodles turn soft faster.
Soak the noodles in warm tap water while you prep everything else; they need about 15 minutes.
Doubanjiang is salty, so do not add extra salt until you taste at the end.
Have all ingredients chopped and next to the stove before you heat the wok; the stir-fry moves quickly.

1
Soak the noodles
- Place the glass noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with warm tap water (about 100°F/40°C).
- Let soak 15 minutes, until the noodles are flexible and bend without snapping but still have a firm, white core.
- Drain well in a colander.
- Use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles once or twice into roughly 8-inch (20 cm) lengths so they are easy to stir and eat.
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Ready when: Noodles bend easily but are not fully soft or translucent
Tip: Do not use boiling water; it makes the noodles mushy once braised.
2
Prep the aromatics
- While the noodles soak, mince the garlic and ginger, slice the scallions and keep the white and green parts in separate piles.
- Chop the doubanjiang finely.
- In a measuring cup, stir together the stock, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and white pepper to make the braising liquid.
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Ready when: Sugar is dissolved in the liquid
3
Brown the pork
- Heat a 14-inch wok over high heat until it just begins to smoke, about 1 minute.
- Add the neutral oil and swirl.
- Add the ground pork and spread it out.
- Let it sear without stirring for 1 minute, then break it into small pea-sized crumbles with the spatula.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes total.
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Ready when: Pork is no longer pink, with browned edges and rendered fat pooling in the wok
Tip: Break up the meat finely; these crumbles are the 'ants' and should be small.
4
Fry the doubanjiang
- Push the pork to one side and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the doubanjiang to the cleared, oily spot and fry 30 to 45 seconds, stirring and mashing it, until the oil turns deep red and smells toasty.
- Then stir it through the pork.
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Ready when: Oil is brick red and the paste smells fragrant, not burnt
Tip: Lower the heat if the paste sticks or darkens quickly; burnt paste tastes bitter.
5
Add the aromatics
- Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites.
- Stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Drizzle the Shaoxing wine around the edge of the wok, let it sizzle for 10 seconds, and stir.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant and pale golden, not brown
6
Add liquid and noodles
- Pour in the braising liquid and bring to a boil over high heat, about 1 minute.
- Add the drained noodles and use chopsticks or a spatula to push them down into the liquid and toss to coat.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling and noodles are submerged and starting to bend
7
Braise the noodles
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 4 minutes.
- Uncover and toss the noodles every minute or so for another 3 to 4 minutes, until they turn translucent and have absorbed nearly all the sauce.
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Ready when: Noodles are translucent, chewy-tender, and only a few spoonfuls of glossy sauce remain
Tip: If the pan looks dry before the noodles are tender, add 2 tablespoons water.
8
Finish and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the scallion greens, sesame oil and chili oil, if using.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt or splash of soy sauce only if needed.
- Serve immediately, since the noodles keep absorbing sauce as they sit.
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Ready when: Noodles are glossy, red-brown and evenly coated with pork
Tip: Serve right away; the noodles will clump as they cool.

Good to know

Tips

Brands of doubanjiang vary a lot in salt and heat; Pixian brand is the classic. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more at the end only if you want it spicier.
Do not oversoak the noodles; they finish cooking in the sauce and need a slight bite left.
For a numbing Sichuan kick, add 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns with the sesame oil.
Stir gently once the noodles are tender, as overworking can break them into short pieces.

Make ahead

"Soak and drain the noodles up to 2 hours ahead, tossed with 1 teaspoon oil to prevent sticking. The pork and sauce base (through step 5) can be cooked and refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat in the wok before adding liquid and noodles."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, since the noodles turn mushy. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 2 to 3 tablespoons water, tossing 2 to 3 minutes until hot and loosened (pork should reach 165°F/74°C), or microwave covered with a splash of water."

Substitutions

ground pork → ground beef, ground chicken or crumbled firm tofu. Beef and chicken work at the same weight; for chicken add an extra teaspoon of oil. For tofu, fry until golden first.
Shaoxing wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount.
Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste) → Korean gochujang plus 1 tsp soy sauce. Gives a sweeter, less funky result; use 1.5 tbsp.
low-sodium chicken stock → vegetable stock or water. Water gives a lighter flavor; add an extra 1/2 tsp light soy sauce.