“Ants Climbing a Tree” Noodles

This recipe was originally published in the award-winning cookbook Chinese-ish: Home Cooking Not Quite Authentic 100% Delicious by Rosheen Kaul & Joanna Hu (Interlink Books, 2023). Reprinted here with permission.

You can purchase Chinese-ish here

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 7 oz (200 g) ground pork
• 2 ½ tablespoons doubanjiang (see Note)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ inch (4 cm) piece ginger, minced
• 4 scallions, sliced, green and white parts separated
• 3 cups (750 ml) stock
• 12 oz (350 g) mung bean (glass or cellophane) noodles, soaked in cold water for 1 hour to soften, then drained
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons light soy sauce

Method:

1. Heat 4 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat and fry the ground pork until golden. Push the pork to the side of the pan and add the remaining oil, doubanjiang, garlic, ginger, and sliced white scallions and stir-fry until aromatic. Toss the pork into this sauce, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
2. Add the softened mung bean noodles, sugar, and light soy sauce and stir to combine, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with green scallions, and serve immediately.

NOTE: Doubanjiang, a spicy fermented bean sauce, can be found in the Asian aisle of well-stocked supermarkets, or at most Asian grocery stores.