Ants Climbing a Tree

Ants Climbing a Tree (ma yi shang shu) is a classic Sichuan dish made from cellophane noodles stir-fried with spiced ground pork. Traditional preparations use broad bean paste (doubanjiang), soy sauce, and chili oil to create a deeply savory, spicy flavor profile.

The dish is named purely for its visual resemblance, as the small bits of spiced ground pork cling tightly to the translucent noodles. This creates the playful illusion of tiny ants walking up the branches of a tree.

The dish relies on long, translucent cellophane noodles, which are also known as glass noodles or mung bean vermicelli. These noodles are prized for their chewy texture and their ability to readily absorb the spicy pork flavors.

This iconic spicy dish originates from Sichuan province in southwestern China. Sichuan cuisine is globally famous for its bold, pungent flavors and the generous use of chili peppers and fermented bean pastes.