Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)
蚂蚁上树
Sichuan classic — cellophane noodles stir-fried with spicy minced pork. The noodle strands resemble ants climbing branches.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Ants Climbing a Tree (蚂蚁上树, mǎ yǐ shàng shù) is a classic Sichuan dish of cellophane noodles (glass noodles) stir-fried with spicy minced pork. The name comes from the visual — the tiny bits of pork clinging to the transparent noodle strands look like ants climbing on branches. Despite the playful name, this is a seriously delicious dish: chewy glass noodles soaked in a spicy-savory sauce, with bits of seasoned pork in every bite. Quick, cheap, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients You'll Need
The Dish
- 100g cellophane/glass noodles (粉丝)
- 200g ground pork
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 3 scallions, chopped
📝 Instructions
Soak the noodles
Soak cellophane noodles in warm water for 15 minutes until pliable. Drain.
Fry the pork
Heat oil in a wok. Add ground pork and stir-fry until browned, breaking it into tiny pieces. Add garlic and ginger, fry 30 seconds.
Build the sauce
Add doubanjiang and fry 1 minute until oil turns red. Add soy sauce, sugar, and stock. Bring to a boil.
Add noodles
Add the soaked noodles. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, tossing, until noodles absorb the sauce and become translucent. The pork should cling to the noodles.
Serve
Top with scallions and serve immediately. Use chopsticks to twirl the noodles.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡Don't over-soak the noodles — they'll turn mushy. 15 minutes in warm water is enough.
- 💡The pork must be in tiny pieces — that's what creates the 'ants' effect.
- 💡Don't add too much liquid — the noodles should absorb most of the sauce.
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are cellophane noodles? Also called glass noodles or bean threads, made from mung bean or sweet potato starch. They become transparent when cooked. Find them at Asian grocery stores.
