Thursday, August 6, 2009

Ants on a Tree (Pork Stir Fried with Noodles)

Ants on a Tree (Pork Stir Fried with Noodles)

I found this dish on TasteSpotting a couple of weeks ago and knew immediately it was what I would be making with the rest of the pork I had sitting in the freezer. Believe it or not, I actually had a few jalapenos left too and I was trying to take as little as possible with me in my move. This is an easy and quick dish and it has excellent flavor. I didn't have Szechuan peppercorns so I subbed in a bit of hot chili oil and I used regular low-sodium soy sauce throughout the whole dish because that was all I had. I really loved the flavor in the pork with the sweet and savory combo that makes me swoon. As you can tell from the pictures, I used glass noodles because they were what I had on hand. To be perfectly honest, I am not sure of the difference between glass noodles and bean thread noodles (if there is one), but they were perfectly wonderful in this recipe and I had a great texture from them so I am not complaining. This is definitely something I will try again and next time I will try and mix it up by adding more vegetables to the mix.


Ants on a Tree (Pork Stir fried with Noodles)
(Slightly Adapted from Simmer Down)

Makes 2-3 servings

8 ounces ground pork
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 dashes red pepper flakes
1-2 dashes hot chili oil (optional)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
6-8 ounces cellophane (bean thread) noodles (I used 6.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut or other neutral oil
2 scallions, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 red jalapeño or Fresno chili, minced
1/4 cup vegetable stock

Put some water on to boil. Meanwhile, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the sugar, red pepper flakes, hot chili oil (if using), and pork, stirring thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Place the noodles in a large bowl and when your water comes to a boil, pour over the noodles to cover. Soak for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain in a colander.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and jalapeño and cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, breaking up any chunks, about 3 minutes.

Add the noodles, chicken stock, and remaining soy sauce. Cook, tossing the noodles with tongs or two wooden spoons, until the sauce is absorbed and the pork is well distributed throughout the noodles. Transfer to a large platter and serve immediately, garnishing with a few chopped scallions if desired.

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12 comments:

Cooking with tien said...

Hi,
This is one of my favorite dishes. Thanks for sharing.

Erica said...

A great sub for takeout!!! Are you getting settled in the new place??

Deborah said...

I love the name - and it sounds delicious!

Teresa Cordero Cordell said...

Esi, I love the name if this dish. That is so cool. The transparent noodles look lovely. This is the type of dish I can get my hubby to try. It's so full of flavor. Thanks dear.

Diana said...

Your freezer sounds like a very magical place.

vanillasugarblog said...

you always have the BEST things just laying around in your cabinets, freezers, etc... are you hoarding a double-wide Sub Zero or something?
I would eat 2 servings of this today as I was at the gym for 2 and half hours working out to eat dinner. LOL

Creative Classroom Core said...

Love the name of this dish! :)

daxphillips said...

Funny, I saw the recipe as well, and was going to make it my own somehow. The quick marinade alone is really easy, and flavorful and would probably be nice with pork chops on the grill, and I'm like you about the noodles Looks like a must make.

Esi said...

Hello friends. Sorry I have been so absent this week. I appreciate the comments.

Erica, slowly but surely adjusting to the new place. It will take some time.

Teresa, hope hubby likes it!

Diana, soon, I will make my new freezer a magical place.

Dawn, I wish I had a double wide...freezer that is! Haha. No, but I am a huge fan of freezing things since I mostly just cook for myself.

Dax, I think you're right about the marinade being great with pork chops on the grill.

Reeni said...

This looks better than take-out, Esi and the name is funny!

Alicia Foodycat said...

I think bean thread and glass noodles are the same thing! I love these sorts of pork noodle dishes - so quick to make and so much flavour! And if it means one less thing to pack, then all the better!

Michelle Rittler said...

Looks great! I agree with Erica -- sounds like a great substitution for takeout. Can't wait to try it!