Ants climbing a tree with rice noodles

Ingredients

• 150 g minced pork
• 2 pieces (5 g) dried wood ear mushrooms
• 500 ml hot water
• 10 g fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 green onion (15 g)
• 1 small chili pepper (10 g)
• 1500 ml water
• 100 g rice noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation

1. Chop the ginger, garlic, chili pepper and green onion, keeping the white and green parts separate. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in 500 ml hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and slice them. 2. Mix the pork with the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, rice wine, salt and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 3. Boil the noodles in 1500 ml water for 5 minutes, until they bend easily but still hold their shape. Drain them. 4. Heat 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil in a wok. Add the ginger, the white part of the green onion, the chili pepper and the garlic; cook for no more than 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the pork and cook for 5-6 minutes, until no pink parts remain. 5. Add the wood ear mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the noodles and the remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce, stir for another 2 minutes and serve with the green part of the green onion.