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This pancit dish brings real Filipino home cooking to your kitchen without much hassle. The light rice noodles drink up the flavorful sauce while soft pork and crunchy veggies give you a nice mix of textures in each mouthful.
I first cooked this pancit when I had friends over for a world food night. The clean plates and people asking for more told me it needed to be part of our usual meals. These days we eat it at least twice every month.
Ingredients
- Rice vermicelli noodles: They're the base that soaks up all the tasty flavors and gives the dish its special feel
- Pork chops: Chopped small for good protein that stays juicy while cooking
- Yellow onion and garlic: They start the smell that makes this truly Filipino
- Soy sauce: Adds that deep taste and nice brown color to your noodles
- Chicken stock: Makes the tasty liquid that brings everything together
- Cabbage and carrots: Give you that snap and brightness against the soft noodles
- Green onions: Add a fresh finish and light oniony flavor
- Canola oil: Great for hot stir frying without adding weird tastes
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles:
- Put rice vermicelli in hot water for about 8-10 minutes until they're soft but still a bit firm since they'll cook more later
- Prep the Ingredients:
- While noodles soak cut pork into same-sized small bits for even cooking chop the yellow onion crush garlic thin-slice cabbage cut carrots and chop green onions keeping everything ready next to your stove
- Create the Flavor Base:
- Warm canola oil in a wok or big pan on medium-high heat till it shines then throw in pork yellow onion garlic and soy sauce stirring often for 3-5 minutes until pork browns nicely and onions go clear
- Build the Dish:
- Add chicken stock to clean off tasty bits stuck to the pan then mix in cabbage carrots and green onions cooking only 3-5 minutes so veggies stay a little crisp
- Combine and Finish:
- Drop in the drained noodles with the meat and veggie mix gently turning everything with tongs so noodles can soak up the sauce and grab all the flavors 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 rice noodles suck up the tasty sauce and get packed with all those good flavors. Every time I cook this pancit my kitchen smells so good that family members always come to peek in the pot before dinner's even ready.
Make It Your Own
You can change pancit to match what you like or what's in your fridge. Chicken thighs work great instead of pork for a different taste. Shrimp adds a nice seafood twist and cooks even quicker than pork. If you don't eat meat just skip it and use veggie broth instead of chicken stock with some firm tofu for protein.
Cultural Context
Pancit is big at Filipino parties especially birthdays where long noodles stand for long life. This tradition came from Chinese cooking in Filipino food with each area making its own type. Pancit Canton has thicker wheat noodles but this Pancit Bihon with rice noodles is one of the most loved across the Philippines.
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Serving Suggestions
In Filipino homes pancit often comes with calamansi lime halves on the side that people squeeze over their food for a bright tangy kick. If you can't find calamansi limes regular lime pieces work fine too. Serve pancit with lumpia Filipino spring rolls for a true feast or just enjoy it by itself as a complete meal.
Storage Tips
Let leftover pancit cool all the way before putting it in sealed containers. It stays good in the fridge up to three days and actually tastes better the next day. When reheating add a tiny bit of water or chicken stock to the pancit while warming it in a pan on medium heat to bring back moisture to the noodles.
Common Questions
- → What type of noodles are used in Pancit?
Most folks use Thai Vermicelli rice noodles for the authentic version, but you can try other thin noodle types if you need to.
- → Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Absolutely, chicken makes a great swap for pork if that's what you like better or if you don't eat pork.
- → How do I prevent noodles from sticking together?
Make sure to soak your rice noodles following the box directions, then mix them softly with your cooked stuff so they don't stick.
- → What vegetables can I add to Pancit?
The usual mix has cabbage, carrots, and green onions, but feel free to throw in some bell peppers, bean sprouts, or even snow peas to change things up.
- → Is Pancit gluten-free?
You can make it without gluten if you grab gluten-free soy sauce and double-check that everything else you're using doesn't have any gluten in it.