Pancit Bihon Guisado
Pancit or Bihon Guisado is a popular Filipino noodle dish made from rice stick noodles (which is commonly referred to as “bihon”). Pancit is a staple in Filipino special occasions. I personally enjoy it when paired with Lumpia.
Pancit Origins
Pancit originated from the Chinese and was adopted to suit the Filipino palate. The Hokkien phrase “pian i sit” is actually where the dish’s name comes from. And this can be translated into “something cooked fast” or “something conveniently cooked fast.” This is because this originally meant to describe convenience food.
This can range from your protein-filled pork and meat to your carb component of pancit bihon to the wide variety of vegetables you’ve also got on your plate. All of these come together to create a most harmonious recipe with different flavors. Its etymology also probably explains the Chinese influence on the dish. After all, we can trace back the history of this dish in the oldest Chinatown in the world during the 16th century.
Many have theorized that Chinese traders brought their noodles over to the Philippines, and soon craved more of it while they were in the country. With rice flour being widely available in the Philippines, they created rice noodles that were actually simpler to cook than wheat noodles. And during the Spanish colonization era, this soon became the meal of choice for women factory workers who couldn’t take too much time in the kitchen.
How To Cook Pancit
prep the bihon and sauté aromatics
- Prepare the bihon by soaking it in a container of water.
- Next, heat the oil in a large wok.
- After that, toss in the garlic and onion and sauté until your kitchen smells amazing!
cook the meat
- Afterward, add the pork and chicken to the wok, letting them cook for about 2 minutes until they’re nicely browned and juicy.
season and simmer
- Next, sprinkle in the chicken powder and pour in the water.
- Then give it a good stir and let everything simmer for 15 minutes, letting all those flavors meld together.
blanch vegetables
- Time to add some color and crunch! Toss in the carrots, snow peas, cabbage, and celery leaves.
- Simmer for a few minutes until the veggies are tender and vibrant.
- Scoop out the veggies and meat, leaving just the savory liquid behind. Do not overcook the vegetables.
add soy sauce and bihon
- Stir in the soy sauce, mixing well to infuse all that umami goodness.
- Remove the bihon from the soaking water and add it to the pot, giving it a good mix.
- Cook until the liquid has completely evaporated and the noodles are perfectly coated.
serving time!
- Throw the veggies and meat back into the pot, and let everything simmer together for a minute or two.
- Congratulations on making my pancit recipe! Serve hot, and get ready to enjoy a delicious, flavorful meal!
How To Serve Pancit
To serve this guisado recipe, traditionally, Filipinos enjoy it with a side of white bread or crispy lumpiang shanghai or fried chicken, especially during birthday celebrations! Serve it hot, with a fork and a side of calamansi. Squeeze half a calamansi—or more, depending on how tangy you like it—onto your plate to balance out the umami flavors of the pancit. Don’t forget to pair it with some cold drinks for a refreshing contrast. Enjoy the fun and flavors of this classic dish!
How to safely store pancit?
Begin by waiting to get that pancit down to room temperature. This especially applies to a situation wherein you’ve just cooked up your pancit, and still have it piping hot. Just take your airtight container, and place your pancit inside. Then you can keep it refrigerated for about 5 days without it going bad.
Shelf Life Of Pancit And How To Reheat It
Pancit guisado can sit at room temperature for about 2 hours before it needs to be refrigerated. If you want to save it for another day, just pop it into an airtight container and stash it in the freezer.
To make your pancit taste nearly as good as new, you can microwave it. Don’t forget to wait for it to thaw if it comes out of the freezer. Just cover the container with a lid or a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Try this Pancit Recipe and let me know what you think.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Pancit Bihon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb pancit bihon Rice Noodles
- 1/2 lb. pork cut into small thin slices
- 1/2 lb. chicken cooked, deboned, and cut into thin slices
- 1/8 lb. snow peas
- 1 cup carrot
- 1/2 small cabbage chopped
- 1 cup celery leaves chopped finely
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/2 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chicken powder
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 to 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large wok. Saute garlic and onion1 onion, 1/2 tbsp garlic, 3 tbsp cooking oil
- Add the pork and chicken then let cook for 2 minutes1/2 lb. pork, 1/2 lb. chicken
- Add the chicken powder and water then simmer for 15 minutes2 teaspoons chicken powder, 3 to 4 cups water
- Put in the carrots, snow peas, cabbage, and celery leaves and simmer for a few minutes1/8 lb. snow peas, 1 cup carrot, 1/2 small cabbage, 1 cup celery leaves
- Remove all the ingredients in the pot except for the liquid and set them aside
- In the pot with the liquid in, add the soy sauce and mix well5 tbsp soy sauce
- Add the pancit bihon (makes sure to first soak it in water for about 10 minutes) and mix well. Cook until liquid evaporates completely1 lb pancit bihon
- Put-in the vegetables and meat that were previously cooked and simmer for a minute or two
- Serve hot. Share and enjoy!
Notes
Alternative ingredients:
Chinese sausage: This is also known as “Chorizo Macau”. You can also make use of this ingredient in addition to the proteins listed in the recipe above. This will add flavor to your pancit. Slice it crosswise into thin pieces before sauteeing with the chicken and pork in step 2. Snap Peas: While peas can be optional for this recipe, you can use snap peas an alternative for snow peas. Bell Peppers: I personally know some home cooks that add bell peppers to their pancit. It is not common in traditional Filipino pancit, but more of a preference. Feel free to use if desired.Nutrition Information
Watch How to Cook Pancit
Ariane says
Dear Vanjo,
My co-worker (who is not Filipino) LOVES pancit and so she asked if I knew how to make it. I said no, but my mom absolutely makes the best pancit in town! I asked my mom to make it for her and she said no. So I said, fine. I’ll make it myself. How hard can it be? I looked up many recipes and actually tried one before yours (which was not good obviously). What attracted me to your recipe is that it’s so simple and it had simple ingredients.
Let me say, that your recipe was a huge SUCCESS! I was so proud of myself. Watch out mother! There’s a new pancit sherif in town.
Because I am plant-based and mostly vegan, I did make several modifications to this recipe.
1. Substituted the meat with tofu.
2. I omit the oil because I always saute in either water or broth.
3. Substituted chicken broth with vegan chicken broth cubes.
4. I only used a 6.5 0z pack of noodles so only used 1.5 cups of broth and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.
5. I soacked the noodles for 10 minutes in hot water but found I probably don’t really need to do that next time.
6. After adding back the veggies, I topped it off with another teaspoon of soy sauce and 1/8th teaspoon of MSG. It was perfect! Although I’m inclined to try vegan oyster sauce next time I make it. (I didn’t see this on your list of ingredients but you did mention it in your video.)
7. I added A LOT of other veggies–green beans, mushrooms (although I will use shitake next time), onions, doubled the garlic, and for cabbage I used a precut bag of coleslaw for ease.
Thank you for this recipe. I wanted to let you know it was a hit and I appreciated your blog. I have used it several times for other Filipino dishes.
P.S. Please post some vegan Filipino recipes for me!
Vanjo Merano says
Thank you for sharing this. I enjoyed reading your story and I love the “new pancit sheriff in town” line.
I’m glad the recipe worked out well for you, especially with all the plant based adjustments. You did a great job adapting it, and the extra veggies sound perfect. You’re also right about the noodles. A quick soak can help, but it’s not always necessary.
I appreciate you using the blog for other Filipino dishes too. That really means a lot. I’ll keep your suggestion about vegan Filipino recipes in mind. Thanks again and keep cooking.
Dina says
How many of people does this recipe feed
Dale Barnes says
Fantastic, my wife from the Philippines loved it. Not bad for a British guy.
Lourdes Tayas says
Clear and simple
Vanjo Merano says
Thank you. Glad you thought so.
Cathy says
This was delicious, but I’d put in twice the meat. And it makes a LOT.
Erning Santiago says
Tried your recipe and it was good as your other recipes. I added Chinese sausage and Kikkoman oyster sauce with your recipe.
dulce says
it’s awesome !sobrang dami ko natutunan mga recipe. thanks
Nita says
Very nice and easy, will recommend it to others.
Jhonnie says
Simple at sarap!