Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants climbing on a tree)

Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing on a Tree)

Ma Yi Shang Shu and Bok Choy

from Ellen's kitchen, with thanks to Saveur (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb dried Chinese bean thread noodles
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbs canola oil
• 4 oz ground pork
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1.5 tbs Douban Jiang (Chinese red chili bean paste), or more to taste
• 2 tbs light soy sauce
• 3 tsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbs dark soy sauce
• 3 suan miao (Chinese chives, blossoms removed) or scallions, thinly sliced

Place:

• noodles in 4 cups of boiling water.  Let sit until soft, about 4 minutes.  Drain and toss with sesame oil; set aside.

Heat:

• canola oil in wok or flat bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Cook pork, breaking it up, until browned, about 7 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger; stir until aromatic, about 1 minute.   Add paste, light soy sauce, rice wine, and chicken stock.  Bring to boil.  Add noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until majority of liquid is gone.  Stir in dark soy sauce and chives/scallions and serve.