Spice fans will love my take on this Sichuan classic: beef mince and a rich, spicy sauce that soaks into bouncy noodles. Guys, this weeknight dinner is a goodie for all the right reasons. Feel free to miss out the cooking wine if you want it alcohol-free, otherwise enjoy the fragrance it lends to the dish.
‘Ants Climbing A Tree’ Noodles
80g (2.8 oz) glass noodles (also known as cellophane or mung bean noodles)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tbsp douban jiang chilli paste*
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
200g (7 oz) beef mince
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp finely grated garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion (scallions)
- Soak the noodles in room temperature water for 10 minutes or until they’re just pliable. Drain and set aside for later.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the douban jiang and ginger and stir-fry for about 10 seconds. Then add in the beef. Stir-fry until the beef is almost cooked. Then add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Stir-fry for about half a minute. Then add the chicken stock. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Then add in the noodles. Toss the noodles in the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the noodles have soaked up all the sauce. Turn the heat off and toss through the grated garlic and the spring onions. Serve warm.
- Notes: – Douban jiang is a spicy fermented chilli bean paste. Find it at your Asian grocery store or order it online. – More super simple ground beef recipes here !
