Ants in a Tree is a crowd-pleaser

“Ants in a Tree” is the English translation of the Chinese name for this classic recipe. Built of spicy pork, bean thread noodles (aka cellophane noodles) and scallions, it earned its name because it’s not so far-fetched for the finished dish to call that image to mind — the noodles look like tree branches, the scallions like tree leaves and the little bits of ground pork like ants. Admittedly, it’s not a very appetizing image, but the dish itself happens to be a crowd-pleaser. Indeed, it’s a refreshing break from the usual holiday fare.

Cellophane noodles can be tough to find in your supermarket, which is why I’ve listed capellini (very thin strands of pasta). If you’re not a fan of pork, you’re welcome to swap in beef, turkey, or chicken. And if you can’t source Asian chile paste (made of chiles mixed with oil or vinegar and salt), use your favourite brand of hot sauce. Of course, if you’d prefer the dish to be mild, leave the hot stuff out of it.

Make sure you prepare every ingredient before you begin cooking. Many of them cook very quickly and are added to the pan in rapid succession. If at any stage the next round of ingredients isn’t ready to go, the ones in the pan will overcook.

As a way to help the noodles absorb the myriad flavours of the sauce, par-cook the noodles and finish them in the sauce. If, in the end, you’re more in the mood for a bowl of soup than a plate of pasta, add more chicken broth.