Glass Noodles with Minced Pork, Shiitake and Garlic Chives

by Tony Tan, featured in Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class

Published by Murdoch Books

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Introduction

This is my version of a famous Yunnan dish often called ‘ants climbing a tree’ noodles.

It is made with minced meat, often pork, but whatever mince you use it’s the way the meat clings to the noodles as you lift them that gives it the rather poetic name.

I’m using mung bean noodles (also called cellophane or bean thread noodles) for this recipe, but any kind of noodle is fine, such as thin rice or wheat noodles. You just need to adjust the timing for the noodles to cook through.

This is my version of a famous Yunnan dish often called ‘ants climbing a tree’ noodles.

It is made with minced meat, often pork, but whatever mince you use it’s the way the meat clings to the noodles as you lift them that gives it the rather poetic name.

As featured in

Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class

Image of Tony Tan's Glass Noodles with Minced Pork — Photo by Mark Roper

Ingredients

Serves: 2-4

Metric U.S.

3 - 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
250 grams minced pork
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
1 - 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
1 teaspoon cornflour
200 grams dried mung bean noodles
60 millilitres neutral oil
1 - 2 long red chillies (seeds removed, thinly sliced)
125 millilitres chicken stock (plus an extra 125ml/½ cup as needed)
½ teaspoon caster sugar
salt and white pepper (to taste)
light or dark soy sauce (to taste)
125 grams chopped garlic chives (2 cm/¾ inch pieces)

3 - 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
9 ounces ground pork
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
1 - 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
7 ounces dried mung bean noodles
¼ cup neutral oil
1 - 2 long red chiles (seeds removed, thinly sliced)
½ cup chicken broth (plus an extra 125ml/½ cup as needed)
½ teaspoon superfine sugar
salt and white pepper (to taste)
light or dark soy sauce (to taste)
1 cup chopped garlic chives (2 cm/¾ inch pieces)

Method

Glass Noodles with Minced Pork, Shiitake and Garlic Chives is a guest recipe by Tony Tan so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water, discard the stems, then cut the caps into fine dice.
Add the pork, Shaoxing, doubanjiang and cornflour to a bowl, mix well to combine, and leave for 15 minutes to marinate.
Place the noodles in a bowl, pour cold water over the top and soak for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a wok, add the mushrooms and chilli and stir-fry until fragrant (1–2 minutes). Add the marinated pork and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the meat as you fry so there are no lumps, then add the noodles along with the stock, sugar, salt and pepper and soy sauce, adjusting to taste.
Cook, stirring now and then, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the noodles are absorbing liquid too quickly, add another 125ml/½ cup stock. Stir in the garlic chives just before serving.

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water, discard the stems, then cut the caps into fine dice.
Add the pork, Shaoxing, doubanjiang and cornstarch to a bowl, mix well to combine, and leave for 15 minutes to marinate.
Place the noodles in a bowl, pour cold water over the top and soak for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a wok, add the mushrooms and chilli and stir-fry until fragrant (1–2 minutes). Add the marinated pork and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the meat as you fry so there are no lumps, then add the noodles along with the stock, sugar, salt and pepper and soy sauce, adjusting to taste.
Cook, stirring now and then, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the noodles are absorbing liquid too quickly, add another 125ml/½ cup stock. Stir in the garlic chives just before serving.

Additional Information

NOTE:
Mung bean/glass/bean thread noodles may be soaked in hot water briefly but must be used immediately, as they have a tendency to turn mushy if left too long.