*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                        ANTS CLIMBING UP A TREE

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Pork

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1       lb           Pork shoulder steak, boned
                       -and finely chopped, not
                       -ground
  2       tb           Soy sauce, light
  2       tb           Chinese rice wine or dry
                       -sherry
  1       t            Ginger -- grated
  6                    Scallions -- thinly sliced
  1       c            Finely chopped cabbage or
                       -Napa (celery cabbage)
  1       oz           Chinese dried mushrooms,
                       -soaked in water for 2
                       -hours,
                       Drained and finely chopped
                       -(reserve the water)
  4       c            Oil, peanut -- for deep frying
  1                    Package (4 ounce) glass
                       -noodles (sai fun)
  2                    Garlic cloves, chopped
  1       tb           Hot bean sauce
          pn           Sugar, granulated
                       Pepper, black -- to taste
  2       tb           Cornstarch dissolved in 2
                       -tablespoons water
  1       tb           Oil, sesame, toasted

 Iceberg lettuce leaves, 2 or 3 for each person Bone
 and finely chop the pork. Do not grind this as you
 want very small pieces to "climb" on the branches of
 the noodles. Marinate the pork in the soy, wine and
 ginger for about 15 minutes. Slice the green onions.
 Finely chop the cabbage and mushrooms, reserving the
 soaking water from the mushrooms. Heat the oil in a
 wok until it is just beginning to smoke. Use good
 ventilation in your kitchen for this one! Open the
 noodle package and undo them a bit. Drop into the hot
 fat in small batches. They will immediately puff up
 into wonderful white crunchy noodles. Turn quickly to
 be sure that all of them are cooked. Remove from the
 pan and drain on paper towels. Be very careful with
 this. You could burn yourself. Set the noodles aside.
 Heat another wok or frying pan and add 1 Tablespoon of
 the peanut oil. Add the chopped garlic and toss for a
 moment. Add the meat and marinade and stir fry, mixing
 it about, until the meat is tender but not dry, about
 3 minutes on high heat. Remove the meat mixture and
 add the vegetables to the wok. Stir fry over high heat
 for 3 more minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add
 the hot bean sauce, sugar and black pepper. Stir fry
 for 1 minute and then add the cornstarch dissolved in
 the water. Stir until the sauce thickens. If you have
 too little sauce, add a bit of the water in which you
 have soaked the mushrooms. Add the sesame oil and
 stir. Place the fried noodles on a large platter and
 pour the meat and vegetable mixture over the noodles.
 Do this carefully so that the little pieces of pork
 and mushrooms will cling to the "branches". Toss at
 the table in front of your guests. Each person then
 takes a bit of noodle and meat sauce and places it in
 the center of a lettuce leaf. Roll it up like a
 burrito and enjoy. Serves 6-8 as part of a Chinese
 meal Source: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine From
 The Cookie Lady's Files

 Submitted By   CHEF BRUCE HANNA



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