This recipe is from Fuchsia Dunlop’s Food of Sichuan. It is spicier than my Teo Chew mother-in-law’s version but nonetheless delicious.
Ants Climbing a Tree (adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop, Food of Sichuan)
100g dried bean thread noodles
3 tablespoons rice bran oil or a neutral oil like canola
100g ground pork, finely ground
1/2-tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 -1 1/2-tablespoons of Sichuan chile bean paste (toubanjiang)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup/236g stock or water
1/2-teaspoon dark soy sauce
Scallions, sliced, for garnish, optional
Remove the bean threads from the packaging and place them in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them to soften, 5-10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Heat a large skillet or wok on medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When it is hot, stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is in tiny pieces. Add the wine or sherry and the light soy sauce.
Push the pork to one side of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, chile bean paste, and stir fry until the oil is red and fragrant. As toubanjiang can be salty, start with a tablespoon and taste, only adding more if more salt is needed. Add the ginger and garlic stir-frying until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir the pork into the sauce. Add the stock or water, dark soy sauce, and the noodles. Toss to combine.
Return the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed by the noodles. Cook 3-5 minutes until the noodles are cooked through, becoming translucent. Add the scallions, if using. Stir to combine. Serve hot with plain steamed rice, and a vegetable side. I turned some broccoli and mushrooms to good use, mixed with garlic, Sichuan pepper, and salt.