Chinese cuisine is full of poetic names for humble dishes. There are no insects in Ants Climbing a Tree; rather, the name refers to the way the bits of minced pork cling to the tangled mound of glass noodles. This is one of my favorite Sichuan comfort foods, and a big bowl of hearty, spicy noodles is perfect for any time of year, but especially the winter. One thing to remember is that even though the dish will seem a little soupy coming off the stove, the bean thread noodles will actually soak up a good amount of sauce within 10 to 15 minutes.
There are two types of noodles packaged as “vermicelli noodles” at Chinese markets; they look identical, and the only way to tell the difference is to read the ingredients on the back. The kind used in this recipe are made from mung beans, and can also be called mung bean vermicelli noodles, bean thread noodles, or cellophane noodles. Rice vermicelli noodles, the other type, are less absorbent than glass noodles and are a little too delicate to use for this dish. I make this dish with fermented black bean; it’s common to see it with doubanjiang (also labeled chile bean sauce or broad bean paste with chile) instead.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
29 Stir-Fry Recipes for Flavor in a Flash
These stir-fries will all make your “keepers” list.How to Make Perfectly Sticky and Succulent Char Siu at Home
Char siu—Cantonese barbecued pork—is a favorite, often enjoyed at restaurants or picked up from barbecue shops. But it's easy to make a great version at home.
