Ants climbing a tree: spicy vermicelli stir-fry (蚂蚁上树)

Name: Ants climbing a tree: spicy vermicelli stir-fry (蚂蚁上树)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 serving
Ingredients: 100 g dry mung bean vermicelli noodles; 1 ½ tablespoon cooking oil; 1 tablespoon Sichuan chilli bean paste; ½ teaspoon chilli powder; 150 g minced pork/beef; 1 teaspoon minced ginger; 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine; ½ teaspoon light soy sauce; 250 ml hot water; 1 teaspoon sugar; ¼ teaspoon white pepper; 1 talk scallions, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; Fresh chilli, finely chopped

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5.0

81 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings
2
Calories
320 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Chinese

Ants climbing a tree: spicy vermicelli stir-fry (蚂蚁上树)

Iris Warren

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Don’t be put off by its weird name! “Ants climbing a tree” is a super tasty Sichuan dish containing vermicelli noodles, minced meat and various pungent seasonings.

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Ingredients

Servings

100 g dry mung bean vermicelli noodles 3.5oz
1 ½ tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan chilli bean paste see note 1
½ teaspoon chilli powder
150 g minced pork/beef 5.3oz
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
½ teaspoon light soy sauce
250 ml hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 talk scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh chilli, finely chopped optional

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Instructions

Soak noodles in warm water for 5 minutes (or in cold water for 10 minutes) until they are soft and pliable. Rinse under cold water and drain. Set aside.
Heat up oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Briefly fry chilli bean paste and chilli powder, then stir in minced pork, ginger, rice wine and soy sauce. Fry until well combined.
Pour in hot water. Then add sugar, white pepper and the noodles.
When most of the water is absorbed by the noodles, add scallions, garlic and fresh chilli (if using). Mix and cook for 30 seconds then serve immdiately.

Notes

Different brands of Sichuan chilli bean paste (aka spicy Doubanjiang/辣豆瓣酱) may vary in saltiness, hotness and texture. Adjust the volume accordingly. It's best to use Pixian Douban (郫县豆瓣), a well-known variety, which needs to be coarsely chopped prior to cooking.
This dish is usually served with other savoury dishes and plain rice. However, it also makes a meal on its own.