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This pancit dish brings real Filipino comfort eating to your home with hardly any work. The soft rice noodles drink up the rich sauce while juicy pork and crunchy veggies give you amazing texture in every mouthful.
I first cooked this pancit when I hosted friends for an international food night. When I saw empty dishes and everyone asking for more, I knew it had to become a regular meal. These days we eat it about twice every month.
Ingredients
- Rice vermicelli noodles: They're the base that soaks up all those yummy flavors with their perfect texture
- Pork chops: Chopped small for meaty flavor that stays moist during cooking
- Yellow onion and garlic: They build that classic Filipino taste foundation
- Soy sauce: Adds that deep savory kick and nice color to your noodles
- Chicken stock: Pulls everything together with its flavorful liquid base
- Cabbage and carrots: Give you that fresh snap and bright colors against the soft noodles
- Green onions: Add that light oniony taste and fresh finish
- Canola oil: Great for hot cooking without adding weird tastes to your food
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles:
- Dunk the rice vermicelli in hot water for about 8-10 minutes till they're soft but still got a bit of bite since they'll cook more later
- Prep the Ingredients:
- While your noodles soak cut pork into same-size small chunks chop the yellow onion crush the garlic shred up your cabbage slice carrots and chop green onions keeping everything handy near your cooking spot
- Create the Flavor Base:
- Warm canola oil in a big pan or wok on medium-high heat until it shimmers then toss in pork yellow onion garlic and soy sauce stir often for 3-5 minutes until pork browns nicely and onions turn clear
- Build the Dish:
- Add chicken stock to loosen all those tasty bits stuck to the pan then mix in cabbage carrots and green onions cooking just 3-5 minutes until veggies soften a bit but stay somewhat crunchy
- Combine and Finish:
- Mix in your drained soaked noodles with the meat and veggie mix gently turning everything with tongs so noodles can soak up all that sauce and flavor add salt and pepper to your liking then serve right away while hot
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What I love most about this dish is how the noodles soak up that tasty sauce and get packed with flavor. Whenever I cook this pancit my kitchen smells so good that family members always peek into the pan before we sit down to eat.
Make It Your Own
You can switch up this pancit based on what you like or what's in your kitchen. Chicken thighs work great instead of pork for a different taste. If you love seafood try shrimp which cooks even quicker than pork. Want it veggie style? Just skip the meat use veggie broth instead of chicken and throw in some firm tofu for protein.
Cultural Context
In Filipino parties especially birthdays pancit is almost always there since the long noodles stand for long life. This tradition came from Chinese cooking influences with different areas in the Philippines making their own versions. Pancit Canton uses thicker wheat noodles but this Pancit Bihon with rice noodles remains a favorite across the whole country.
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Serving Suggestions
Many Filipino families put calamansi lime halves on the table so everyone can squeeze some over their pancit for a fresh citrus kick. If you can't find calamansi regular lime wedges work just fine. Eat your pancit with lumpia those tasty Filipino spring rolls for a true feast or just enjoy it by itself as a complete meal.
Storage Tips
Let your leftover pancit cool all the way before you put it in sealed containers. It stays good in the fridge for up to three days and actually tastes better the next day. When you want to warm it up add a tiny bit of water or chicken stock to your pan first then heat it up on medium to bring moisture back to the noodles.
Common Questions
- → What type of noodles are used in Pancit?
Most folks use Thai Vermicelli or similar rice noodles, though you can try other thin noodle options in a pinch.
- → Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Absolutely! Swap in chicken if you don't want pork or can't eat it for any reason.
- → How do I prevent noodles from sticking together?
Just soak your rice noodles following the package directions and mix them carefully with your cooked stuff to keep them from clumping up.
- → What vegetables can I add to Pancit?
You'll usually find cabbage, carrots and green onions in there, but feel free to toss in some bell peppers, bean sprouts or even snow peas for extra crunch.
- → Is Pancit gluten-free?
You can totally make it gluten-free if you grab some gluten-free soy sauce and double-check that all your other stuff doesn't have hidden gluten.