Ants Climbing A Tree

Village Idiot · January 16

Fooled you. That is the actual name of a Szechuan dish (google it). It is very popular in China. Essentially, it's ground pork in rice noodles. Kind of a Chinese spaghetti.

Here is my first stab at it. I think next time, I'll cut back a little on the noodles, but it was very enjoyable.

The raws.

Stir fry the ground pork in sesame oil

After adding the aromatics and sauces, add the water that will absorb the noodles. Then add the noodles. As with all stir frys, it is imperative to keep the ingredients sizzling hot throughout the cook.

Plated.

Garlic · January 16

That looks good. I am thinking about getting a wok for our xl, what size would you recommend? Also how do you control the temp of the fire?

Chubbs · January 16

As usual Gary, looks like a magazine. Nicely done. Adoption offer is still on the table.

Village Idiot · January 16

@Garlic. I have a Large, but TravisStrick has an XL and I believe he has a 20 inch that he likes a lot.

Others may disagree, but I don't control my fire. I'm of the school that the fire can't get too hot.

caliking · January 16

Great cook! That plated shot is exquisite.

nolaegghead · January 16

You can't get it too hot...on the egg. I've burned my seasoning off on a propane burner. Anyway, if there's water in the food, it's not going to get much over the boiling point of water. Get a nice sear, fast with some heat and that lovely wok hei smoky aroma.

Chubbs · January 16

How do you get green onions in that small of a batch. I always get them for a recipe and have to try hard to use them before they go bad.

Little Steven · January 16

Looks great Gary. I've eaten the dish before. How do you hydrate the vermicelli?

Village Idiot · January 16

Little Steven said:

Looks great Gary. I've eaten the dish before. How do you hydrate the vermicelli?

Thanks Steve. I put them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. They are actually cooked by the boiling cup of water in the wok.

Little Steven · January 16

I need to go to an Oriental cooking supply. My original pho shop had a special little chinois sorta thing that they used on the noodles. I've had a load of bad luck with the fine vermicelli. Always get it too cooked and it falls apart in the dish

Fred19Flintstone · January 16

That's a real nice cook VI.

sola · January 16

nolaegghead said:
You can't get it too hot...on the egg. I've burned my seasoning off on a propane burner.

Ha. I seasoned mine the same way and its 75% gone also.

Mickey · January 16

Nice Gary. Not bad photos as well.

Mighty_Quinn · January 16

looks really good...I prefer (rice) noodle dishes over a separate entree with rice on the side when cooking/ordering asian food.

Skiddymarker · January 16

VI - one of the best easy asian dishes, has lots of variations. As always great plating.

The dry noodle to lean pork ratio is about 2:3, or for 8oz of dry noodle, 12 oz of pork.

Try using thick, dry rice noodle. Soak them in lukewarm water for about 20-30 minutes until soft, drain and hold.

Mix, cornstarch, soy, sesame oil, rice wine and pork together - let stand 10 minutes then into the wok after garlic chile and onions. Add noodles and mix to warm.

Serve with chopped cilantro, chinese parsley. The idea (I'm told) is the cilantro, parsley and pieces of pork look like ants climbing a tree trunk made of thick rice noodle. Grandkids love it (based on the name I think)

Doc_Eggerton · January 16

Very nice, I have not done noodles enough.

Botch · January 16

You're not having trouble burning the sesame oil? I'd always thought that was a "finishing" oil, and that it burned too easily.

Skiddymarker · January 16

Botch said:

You're not having trouble burning the sesame oil? I'd always thought that was a "finishing" oil, and that it burned too easily.

I agree, it is a finishing oil and does burn if you put it in a hot wok by itself, IMHO. The temp of the wok should be lowered to bring sesame oil, ginger and garlic to aromatic levels, once you add the other ingredients, you are good to go.

Village Idiot · January 16

Thanks, folks.

@Botch and @Skiddymarker . Yes, I also have always used sesame oil as a finishing oil. However, the first time I make a recipe, I try to follow it exactly and then tweak it later. This recipe called for stir frying the pork in sesame oil. The wok was sizzling hot, but the sesame oil did not burn, and it cooked the pork well. I have not read of sesame oil easily burning, so I did not have any qualms about using it.

Here is the recipe I used.

Village Idiot · January 16

@Botch and @Skiddymarker

Your comments on sesame oil burning piqued my interest. I looked up the smoke points of it and peanut oil and found that sesame oil has a smoke point of 410-420° and peanut oil has a smoke point of 440°, which is not much difference.

Were your comments based on experience or just what you read or heard?

Inquiring minds want to know.

:)

Botch · January 16

Village Idiot said:

@Botch and @Skiddymarker

Your comments on sesame oil burning piqued my interest. I looked up the smoke points of it and peanut oil and found that sesame oil has a smoke point of 410-420° and peanut oil has a smoke point of 440°, which is not much difference.

Were your comments based on experience or just what you read or heard?

Inquiring minds want to know.
:)

I've just read it, never actually stir-fried with it (although its kinda pricey to cook with, but I want to try your recipe).

fishlessman · January 16

looks great, not on my diet right now with the carbs but a soon to do cook. what always baffles me in the asian market is the noodle section, completely confusing to me which one to buy out of the hundred different types. with the sesame oil, its the flavor breakdown with the sesame oil, not the flashpoint, adding at the end adds more true sesame flavor but with most american palates sesame is pretty strong anyways

NecessaryIndulg · January 16

That looks so good, VI -- I wish I had a bowl of it for breakfast. 8->

Dyal_SC · January 16

Looks awesome!! I use sesame oil in my wok all the time too...never had an issue with it burning. But I don't leave the oil in there too long by itself...I would imagine it would burn if one did that. I think the meat probably cools it down enough to keep it from burning. Love the nutty flavor it gives to Asian stir frys.

AleBrewer · January 16

as always....looks great! Got to try my wok on the egg soon.

Chubbs · January 16

AleBrewer said:

as always....looks great! Got to try my wok on the egg soon.

Yeah, I need to brush mine up with some steel wool to get the light rust off of one area then reseason it this weekend. Been way too long.

Skiddymarker · January 16

Village Idiot said: @Botch and @Skiddymarker
Your comments on sesame oil burning piqued my interest. I looked up the smoke points of it and peanut oil and found that sesame oil has a smoke point of 410-420° and peanut oil has a smoke point of 440°, which is not much difference.
Were your comments based on experience or just what you read or heard?
Inquiring minds want to know. :)

My comments were based on experience, but I can always improve on what I have learned. I have been taught that sesame oil is available, like most oils in a number of different varieties. Basically it is my understanding, light sesame oil has a smoke point much like peanut oil, around 230C (450F). I may be blowing smoke on this but I think it is a cold pressed oil. It is very light in colour, looks like canola or corn oil. Dark sesame oil, the nice flavored one, is usually toasted and has a lower smoke point of about 175C (350F). Kadoya (Japan), like most asian sesame oils, is a toasted blend, with great flavor.It is much like olive oil. Extra light has a smoke point of around 475F, while EVOO is only around 375F.
If it works for you, by all means use it. If you get a chance, I'd encourage you to look for light sesame oil if you use it to stir fry. Most of my recipes tend to add dark sesame oil along with chopped/slivered ginger and garlic during the sauce portion of the cook. The wok temp is lowered, allowing the oil and root aromatics to cook but not burn. Not necessarily better, just different.

Village Idiot · January 16

SM,

I use Kadoya sesame oil. It was the first brand I ever bought and I've stayed with it. This is the first dish I've used sesame oil as the stir fry oil - I normally use peanut oil, and I will continue to do that for other cooks. I think putting it in first made it lose some of it's flavor because I could not detect it in the final meal. Next time, I'll stir fry with the peanut oil, and add it towards the end, as I normally do. Like I said, I always try to make the recipe exactly as stated the first time I make a dish, then tweak it in later dishes. Thanks for the exchange. This has been interesting to me.

fishlessman · January 16

Village Idiot said:

SM,

I use Kadoya sesame oil. It was the first brand I ever bought and I've stayed with it. This is the first dish I've used sesame oil as the stir fry oil - I normally use peanut oil, and I will continue to do that for other cooks. I think putting it in first made it lose some of it's flavor because I could not detect it in the final meal. Next time, I'll stir fry with the peanut oil, and add it towards the end, as I normally do. Like I said, I always try to make the recipe exactly as stated the first time I make a dish, then tweak it in later dishes. Thanks for the exchange. This has been interesting to me.

thats my feelings on sesame oil. something else that puzzles me is peanut verse canola, in the breath of the wok book the author changes it from recipe to recipe but never says why

Village Idiot · January 16

fishlessman said:

thats my feelings on sesame oil. something else that puzzles me is peanut verse canola, in the breath of the wok book the author changes it from recipe to recipe but never says why

Yeah, I remember noticing that too. I just stick with the peanut oil, or grapeseed oil if I'm out of the peanut.

Skiddymarker · January 16

@fishlessman - the reason to use peanut vs canola is, IMHO, the final flavor of the dish. Peanut oil will add a touch of flavor, canola will tend to be more neutral. Personally, I have trouble telling the difference. Canola is much cheaper, so it tends to be my oil of choice for stir fry. Stir fries that need a touch of flavor probably use peanut, those where the food stands on its own, may use Canola - just a guess on my part.

Another example is the use of EVOO and butter vs Canola and butter when frying breaded cutlets and schnitzels. Very noticeable difference in taste.

I think it was the original chef's preference, or to ensure a final flavor.

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