Ants Climbing a Tree

A classic Sichuan dish in Chinese cuisine with ground pork cooked in a sauce and poured over bean thread noodles.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 6 medium scallions
• 1/2 slice ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 6 tbsps tamari soy sauce
• 8 oz dried cellophane noodles
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 5 tbsps peanut oil
• 2 tbsps roasted red chili paste
• 0.67 cup water

Directions

1. Put the cellophane noodles in a large bowl and cover them with 1 quart (1 liter) boiling water. Set them aside to soak for at least 20 minutes.
2. Put the ground pork in a bowl and add to it 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and the sesame seed oil. Add half of the scallions to the pork and mix well; set the rest of the scallions aside.
3. When the cellophane noodles have become soft, rinse them several times under cold running water and drain them well.
4. Heat your wok over high heat for 15 seconds, then pour in the peanut oil.
5. When the oil is ready, toss in the ginger and garlic and add the hot-pepper paste. Stir fry these ingredient together for 30 seconds.
6. Add the meat and continue to stir fry for about one minute, taking particular care to break up any large chunks of meat.
7. Pour in the remaining soy sauce and stir fry everything for 30 seconds longer. Add the cellophane noodles to the pan and cook for about one minute, turning the noodles over occasionally.
8. After a minute, add the scallions and the water then cover the pan and let simmer over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes.