I have always loved pancit, cooked any which way, so long as it is delicious.
It was actually the pancit bihon of Ana Yu that triggered my craving to write this piece.
I had it as part of a packed meal she prepared for an affair that I attended. Simple as it was, it was so tasty and I have not stopped thinking of it since.
I am amused by the many ways people enjoy their pancit. To each his own, it seems—those who like just noodles and those who like their noodles loaded with tasty trimmings; some prefer a mix of noodle-types while others, just one particular noodle. Many enjoy eating it even with bread or rice, with a garnishing of calamansi or kamias. In whatever manner, it is a dish that completely satisfies.
I have compiled pancit recipes to add to your recipe collection, including Ana’s Pancit Bihon and the Chinese Culinary Arts Center’s Lu Liong Yu’s Pancit Canton and Chopsuey Noodles.
Ana’s Pancit
1 pack (500g) Golden Bihon
¼ c vegetable oil
250 g pork kasim
200 g shrimp
1 onion white
4 cloves of garlic
6 tbsp coconut soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
10 c chicken soup stock (or 10 c water and 2 chicken cubes)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp MSG
100 g carrots, julienne
100 g cabbage, julienne
50 g kutchay
2 tbsp sesame oil
In a wok, put oil. Saute pork for 1 minute and add shrimp. Remove pork and shrimp, then set aside.
In the same wok add onion and garlic. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, seasoning (salt, sugar, MSG) and chicken broth
When the broth starts to boil drop the bihon.
Cook until half of the liquid is absorbed by the noodles.
Add the pork, shrimp and all vegetables.
Season to taste and add sesame oil.
Serve immediately with calamansi.
Anna’s secret: Soup stock made from chicken bones: 2 kilos chicken bones, cooked over very low fire with 10 liters of water for 5-6 hours
Mr. Lu’s Pancit Canton
400-500 g Yee Fu noodles (canton)
½ c lean pork, shredded
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp oil
3 tbsp chicken lard
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 pc dried mushroom, shredded
50 g ginger, shredded
3 stalks leeks, shredded
¼ k Chinese cabbage, use only white stem, shredded
½-1 c chicken stock, depending on how high the heat on wok is. The higher, the lesser is required.
2 tbsp light soy sauce
Pinch of MSG
1 stalk Chinese parsley, garnish
Cook the noodles in boiling water with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp salt until tender. Drain and transfer into a tray, let dry.
Add 1 tbsp cornstarch to the shredded pork.
Heat wok and swirl with 1 tbsp oil. Add in the chicken lard, then the oyster sauce. Stir.
Add the mushrooms and lean pork; stir fry.
Add in ginger and leeks.
Mix in Chinese cabbage then the noodles.
Add in the stock, light soy sauce and MSG.
Cook until the mixture dries up.
Top with some shredded leeks and Chinese parsley.
Mr. Lu’s tips:
For birthdays, some red cherries or dyed red quail eggs may be added.
Since pancit canton has been fried, boiling in water with some oil is a must to remove the stale oil smell in the noodles.
Use only the stem or white portion of the Chinese cabbage (pechay Baguio).
Use only the white portion of the leeks. and mix with the shredded ginger to avoid the shredded ginger from clumping.
Chicken lard gives that special aroma that you can’t find in other oil.
Chopsuey Noodles
4 small portions of dry egg noodle, approximately 100 g each
2 tbsp oil
3 pc dried mushrooms, soaked in water, quartered
1 c good stock
2 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp msg
Pepper
Salt
A handful of leafy vegetables—chicharo, button mushrooms, kale. Choose two.
A slice of ginger
A little spring onions
A little carrots, sliced into discs
Cornstarch water—2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
Chopsuey ingredients:
One-fourth cup of any of the following. The mix of ingredients will depend on you. Though usually a combination of 3-4 kinds meat and seafood are used to make chopsuey—cooked pig’s stomach, shelled shrimps, pork, fresh squid, pig’s liver, kidney, roasted pork or chicken giblets
Boil the noodles in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and transfer into a tray, let dry.
Parboil all the chopsuey ingredients—meats and seafood. Set aside.
Heat wok, add in 2 tbsp oil, put in the noodles. Cook the noodles until crisp on one side and invert. Do the same on the other side of the noodle.
Drain off the oil and put noodles on a serving plate.
Boil the stock, light soy, add in the meats, seafood, vegetable. Season to taste.
Thicken with cornstarch water and add 1 tbsp of the oil used to cook the noodles to a crisp.
Pour the mixture all over the fried noodles.
Call Ana Yu of Chef Yu’s Food Center at 2542764, 9941804.
Call Chinese Culinary Arts Center at 5252720, 0943-3403935.
