A classic spicy Sichuan noodle dish, Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu) is as easy to make as it is delicious. In 30 minutes you can enjoy a simple but flavorful combination of cellophane noodles and ground meat in a spicy sauce.

(This recipe was originally published in June 2015, but was updated with new photos and content in 2021).
One of my favorite kinds of regional Chinese cooking is Sichuan, or sometimes called Szechuan. The Sichuan province in Southwestern China is the source of countless often spicy dishes, some with peculiar names.
This particular dish of spicy bean thread noodles with minced or ground meat is called ma yi shang shu (蚂蚁上树), which translates to Ants Climbing a Tree. This unusual name derives from dangling strands of noodles from chopsticks. Bites of meat cling to the noodles and give the appearance of ants climbing up a tree. Use your imagination!
Although the name is quite curious, the recipe is comprised of classic Sichuan flavors. This stir-fried noodle dish is incredibly delicious and easy to make. If you do a lot of Chinese cooking, you may already have many of the ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator.
Ingredient notes
- Bean Thread Noodles: Bean thread noodles, also known as cellophane noodles, glass noodles, or Chinese vermicelli, are made with pea or mung bean starch. They're available in Asian grocery stores, natural food stores, and occasionally in the international foods aisle in supermarkets. They are opaque white, but then become clear and translucent when cooked. Use leftover bean thread noodles to make Nime Chow.
- Ground Pork: You may replace the ground pork in this ants climbing a tree recipe with ground beef if you prefer. Both will work equally well, so if you don't eat pork or simply prefer beef that's totally fine.
- Shaoxing Rice Wine: This is a specific type of Chinese rice wine originating from the region of Shaoxing in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. Find it in Chinese grocery stores, usually in a bottle with a red label (regardless of the brand). You may substitute sherry wine if you're unable to find Shaoxing wine.
- Soy Sauce: This recipe uses both light (regular) and dark soy sauce varieties. Light soy sauce is the soy sauce most people are familiar with. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce for all my cooking needs. Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter than traditional light soy. It's mainly used to give a rich, dark color to dishes (and you only need a small amount to do so). If you don't have it, you may omit it but the color of your noodles will be more pale.
- Chili Bean Paste: Chili bean paste or chili bean sauce (La Doubanjiang 辣豆瓣酱) is a spicy fermented bean paste traditionally made with broad (fava) beans, red chili peppers, salt, and wheat flour. It's fairly spicy and salty, somewhat chunky, and a common ingredient in many classic Sichuan dishes. The actual English labels may vary from brand to brand, such as "Broad Bean Paste with Red Chili Oil." Although they won't provide an identical flavor/spice level, you could try substituting chili bean paste with Indonesian sambal oelek, Korean gochujang, or sriracha for an alternative spicy element.
How to make it
Soak the bean thread noodles in hot water for at least 15 minutes before you begin. Add Shaoxing rice wine and salt to the ground pork and mix well.
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until lightly browned and crispy. Add a teaspoon or so of light soy sauce, and then add the chili bean paste and stir-fry.
Next add the broth and the drained noodles and stir well. Add the dark soy sauce for color, and season with additional light soy sauce and salt to taste. This flavorful liquid will soak into the noodles and also create the sauce.
When the broth has come to a boil, simmer over medium heat until the liquid has mostly evaporated and absorbed.
Finally, add the scallions, toss to combine, and transfer to a serving dish or distribute into individual bowls to serve.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
This recipe cooks quickly and has a relatively short ingredient list. Like any stir-fried recipe, I recommend having all the ingredients prepped and ready to go next to the stove before you start cooking.
You can easily double this recipe, but the ground meat tends to sink to the bottom when you have a lot of noodles in your wok. Make sure to scoop up a bit of everything when you serve this up. I find that serving it with tongs really helps.
I use a nonstick wok for convenience, but for a truly authentic Chinese cooking experience try using a carbon steel wok. Just keep in mind that carbon steel requires a bit more maintenance (not unlike cast iron). There are many sizes and materials of woks available, so pick something that suits your overall needs.
Ants climbing a tree is traditionally served with rice, but I think these bouncy and spicy noodles are delicious on their own.
Other recipes you may like
- Strange Flavor Chicken (Bang Bang Chicken)
- Sichuanese "Send-the-Rice-Down" Chopped Celery with Ground Beef
- Pork Lo Mein
- Chinese Scallion Pancakes
- Char Siu Sou (Chinese Roast Pork Pastries)
- Har Gow (Crystal Shrimp Dumplings)
- Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice
- Singapore Noodles (Singapore Mei Fun)
- Yaki Udon (Japanese Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)
- Mie Goreng (Indonesian Stir-Fried Noodles)
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu / Spicy Bean Thread Noodles with Ground Pork)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bean thread noodles
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine or medium-dry sherry
- Kosher salt
- 4 ounces ground pork
- Peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili bean paste
- 1 ⅔ cups chicken broth or stock
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 3 scallions light and dark green parts only, finely sliced
Instructions
- Soak the noodles in hot water for at least 15 minutes before you begin (drain them just before cooking). Add the Shaoxing rice wine and a couple generous pinches of salt to the ground pork and mix well.
- Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat (you may need less with a nonstick wok). Add the ground pork and stir-fry until lightly browned and crispy. Add a teaspoon or so of light soy sauce. Then add the chili bean paste and stir-fry, taking care not to burn it (remove the wok from the heat for a few moments if it becomes too hot). Add the broth and the drained noodles and stir well. Add the dark soy sauce for color, and season with additional light soy sauce and salt to taste.
- When the broth has come to a boil, simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has mostly evaporated and absorbed. Finally, add the scallions, mix well, and transfer to a serving dish or distribute into individual bowls.
Notes
- You may replace the ground pork in this recipe with ground beef if you prefer.
- You can easily double this recipe, but the ground meat tends to sink to the bottom when you have a lot of noodles in your wok. Make sure to scoop up a bit of everything when you serve this up. I find that serving it with tongs really helps.
- I use a nonstick wok for convenience, but for a truly authentic Chinese cooking experience try using a carbon steel wok. Just keep in mind that carbon steel requires a bit more maintenance (not unlike cast iron). There are many sizes and materials of woks available, so pick something that suits your overall needs.
- Adapted from Land of Plenty
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Audrey says
I tend to be a bit intimidated to make a new dish, using a new ingredient (in this case, bean thread noodles) but it was easy and totally delicious. My husband and I agreed that it tasted like we ordered delivery (and that we would order it again). Thanks for the helpful instructions!