Cellophane noodles with minced pork

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Using fine egg noodles instead of cellophane noodles

Cellophane noodles with minced pork (Ants climbing a tree, Bean thread noodles with minced pork or Má yǐ shàng shù) is a classic Szechuan (Sichuan) dish that uses the transparent (mung) bean thread or cellophane noodles combined with finely minced pork in a spicy sauce that is said to resemble ants climbing a tree.

Ingredients

• 125 g (4 oz) dried cellophane noodles
• 225g (8 oz) finely minced pork tenderloin
• * Turn pork fillet into mince in a seconds using a food processor with a metal blade

for the meat

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

simmering mix

• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root
• 2 tablespoons Garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce
  • See chef's note below
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 450 ml (16 fl oz) chicken stock

garnish

• Finely chopped spring onions
• Finely chopped green chillies (optional)

Mise en place

• Soak the noodles in warm water for 15 minutes, rinse and drain discarding the water

Method

1. Combine the soy, rice wine and sesame oil with the meat and mix well
2. Heat the peanut oil until smoking and stir fry the pork mixture for 2 minutes
3. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes
4. Add the 'simmering mix' and the noodles to the wok, bring to the boil and simmer vigorously until almost most of the liquid has evaporated

Serving suggestions

Serve, garnished with finely chopped spring onions and optional finely chopped green chillies

Variations

You could make this with fine egg vermicelli, if like me, you are not over-keen on cellophane noodles.

Chef's note

Using chilli bean sauce (which in itself is very salty) makes this, extremely delicious dish, a little too salty. I would be inclined to add chilli mash or plenty of fresh chillies instead of the chilli bean sauce.

Follow the RSPCA Think Pig Checklist to make sure that your pork has come from pigs that have been reared to higher welfare standards.

• http://bit.ly/rspcathinkpig