Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree)
Glass noodles braised with spiced minced pork.
Ingredients
- 200 g Sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon)
- 250 g Ground pork
- 1 tbsp Pixian doubanjiang
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 Ginger
- 2 Scallions
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 300 ml Chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
Method
- Soak the sweet potato noodles in warm water until soft and pliable.
- While the noodles soak, mince the garlic, ginger, and scallions.
- Brown the pork in oil in a wok, then add the doubanjiang, garlic, and ginger and fry until fragrant.
- Add the drained noodles, the soy, and the stock and braise until the liquid is absorbed.
- Scatter the scallions and serve.
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About Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree)
Ma yi shang shu — literally 'ants climbing a tree' — is a home-style dish from Sichuan, its whimsical name describing how flecks of minced pork cling to slippery glass noodles like ants on twigs. The noodles here are sweet potato starch, which turn translucent and springy once soaked, and they act as a sponge for the braising liquid rather than bringing flavor of their own. The real engine is Pixian doubanjiang, the fermented broad-bean-and-chili paste that is the soul of Sichuan cooking; fried in oil with garlic and ginger until fragrant, it turns the dish savory, spicy, and deeply red.
Because the noodles absorb the pork-and-doubanjiang stock as they braise, every strand ends up seasoned through rather than merely sauced — the mark of the dish done well. It's an everyday meal in Sichuan homes, quick and economical, meant to be eaten over rice with the scallions scattered on at the end for a fresh, oniony lift. This version stays fast at just over twenty minutes: soaking the noodles while you mince the aromatics means the braise itself takes only as long as it needs for the liquid to be drunk up.
Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree)?
A serving has about 862 calories — 29g protein, 98.4g carbs, 39g fat, 2.4g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 29g of protein, roughly 13% of its calories.
Is Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree) gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pixian doubanjiang, Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
How long does Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree) take to make?
About 22 minutes start to finish, but only around 16 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Ma Yi Shang Shu (Ants Climbing a Tree) make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.