Pancit Bihon Recipe
Pancit Bihon or Pancit Guisado is a Filipino noodle dish and is a staple second to rice. This was brought by the chinese and was localized since then. This Pancit Bihon Recipe uses “Bihon” or rice sticks mixed with pork, chicken, and vegetables. This dish is always served during Fiesta, birthday parties, and other special occasions. Making…
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Pancit Bihon or Pancit Guisado is a Filipino noodle dish and is a staple second to rice. This was brought by the chinese and was localized since then. This Pancit Bihon Recipe uses “Bihon” or rice sticks mixed with pork, chicken, and vegetables. This dish is always served during Fiesta, birthday parties, and other special occasions.
Making Pancit Bihon has never been easier. These days, all you need is to look for a tried and tested Pancit Bihon Recipe and you are all set. Of course, looking for such can be challenging because the internet is filled with lots of information that one needs to validate beforehand. This won’t be a problem anymore. Here at Panlasang Pinoy, we make sure that all our recipes have been tried, tested, and approved before we publish them online. You can now relax and trust that everything will be as expected.
Jumping from crisp to tender from one ingredient to another, Pancit Bihon or Pancit Guisado is a beautiful variety of our tasty Filipino favorites. It, of course, begins with the tender and slippery rice noodles that are given more flavor by a hefty amount of additional ingredients. This includes our classic seasonings in the form of soy sauce, garlic and onions. But we also have our meaty pork and chicken to add some savory protein. If this all sounds new to you, it’s about time you let yourself learn how to cook Pancit Bihon.
After all, if you’re a Filipino, it will come in handy to know how to make this from scratch. Every big family occasion begs for the presence of pancit to symbolize long life. And if you ever find yourself traveling abroad, you’re sure to miss this delicious, colorful concoction of carrots, cabbage, bihon, and more. The good news is that despite the varied and numerous ingredients it puts together, it isn’t too much of a hassle to cook. Even the name of the dish tells you so!
What are the origins of pancit?
You can figure out quite a bit about the beginnings of pancit simply by looking at what it’s called. 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. But today, we know it in the Philippines as a delicious hodge podge of ingredients that bring you all you need to eat in one meal.
This can range from your protein-filled pork and meat to your carb component of pancit bihon to of course, 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.
It is ironic to think back on how this dish began, as it was mainly birthed and popularized out of convenience. But today? It is one of the most famous dishes in the Philippines, often being served in special occasions and celebrations. As previously mentioned, Filipino superstitions have stated that consuming pancit or noodles on your birthday will give you a long life and good health.
How do I make some hot and fresh pancit for my next celebration?
If you have even just 55 minutes to spare, you can already expect to make some of this iconic Filipino dish! Start out by taking out a large pot. Then sauté 1 onion you’ve chopped, as well as ½ tablespoon of minced garlic inside this. Afterwards, you can place your ½ lb. of small, thinly sliced pork, and ½ lb. of deboned and cooked thin chicken slices in the pot. We’ll be waiting for this to cook for about 2 minutes.
Then integrate a bit more flavor into the dish by putting 1 chicken cube inside. Also pour in 3 to 4 cups of water, and let this simmer for 15 minutes. Now add 1 cup of carrots, ⅛ lb. of snow peas or pea pods, ½ of a small cabbage that you’ve chopped up, and 1 cup of finely chopped celery leaves. Again, let this simmer, but only for a few minutes.
Now take all of the ingredients out of the pot, but leave the liquid in. Set these ingredients aside, as we will be using them again later. In the same pot, pour 5 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix this together thoroughly, then you can put your 1 lb. or rice noodles or pancit bihon inside. For the noodles, don’t forget to soak it in water first for approximately 10 minutes before you add this. Once it’s inside, just cook this nicely until you’ve gotten all of the liquid to evaporate.
Which other pancit recipes should I also try in the kitchen?
Filipino Shrimp Pancit Bihon
In many cases, there isn’t a lot that can really beat the classics. And if this applies for you with pancit too, you don’t have to branch out too far with your next dish. This Filipino Shrimp Pancit Bihon essentially sprinkles in the fruit of the sea into your rice noodle favorite of a dish! This adds a special seafood twist to our original Pancit Guisado. This comes in the form of 8 to 12 pieces of refreshingly tasty shrimp.
For this recipe, you can also count on consuming a bit less saturated fat for this dish. Our shrimp actually substitutes the pork and chicken in our original recipe, serving as a healthier protein option. A flavorful Shrimp Cube also heightens the distinct, semi-sweet taste of our seafood component. This also helps tie in all of our ingredients together to make a most compatible dish!
Garlic Bihon
To get that unique saltiness that livens up a dish, sometimes all you need is some added garlic. This also applies to our pancit. This Garlic Bihon is essentially a richer, more earthy version of the traditional way of serving our rice noodles. This also only utilizes chicken, instead of the combination of red and white meat. This is because chicken goes particularly well with the saltiness and mild spice brought about by garlic.
You can also expect a short and easy trip to the kitchen if you’d like to make this dish. Within approximately 50 minutes, you’ll find yourself with a mouthwatering amount of this hearty dish. This will certainly make for the perfect meryenda dish, or even a celebratory dinner!
Pancit Malabon
Are you more of a thick noodle type of person? From udon to malabon, there really is something unique about biting into this filling hero ingredient. But other than the base or carbohydrate-rich component, what can really make or break a dish are its seasonings. This is perhaps what sets Pancit Malabon apart from many other dishes. It has the unique taste of calamansi, garlic, tinapa fish flakes, yellow onion and more to give it a signature, savory flavor.
Much like our original recipe, it is loaded with various ingredients. But the added array of toppings makes it even more of a bountiful feast all on its own. With shrimp, adobong pusit, steamed oysters and more ingredients sitting atop this colorful dish, you won’t be able to say no to another serving of Pancit Malabon!
Starting to feel like having more and more pancit dishes? Keep up the good work in the kitchen, but if any questions ever come to mind, don’t hesitate to comment below!
Here comes the exciting part of watching our dish essentially all come together!
Take the ingredients you removed from the pot earlier, which includes our pork, chicken, and vegetables. Place this back inside the pot, and simmer for about 1 to 2 minutes. Once you’ve let the time pass, you are ready to give out a nice, satisfying plate of delicious pancit bihon! This heart meal can serve a party of 8, and so it is perfect for your gatherings!
But what if you’ve made a bit more than needed? Or maybe you’d like to set this aside for chowing down later? Either way, I’ve got you covered with how you can best store your pancit.
What are the ways in which I can safely store my 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.
Need your pancit to have a longer shelf life? Worry not, as we can also use the freezer so we can have it even for months later. If you put your dish in an airtight container, and then the freezer, you can expect it to be good for eating for a maximum of 2 months. And if you’re worried about how this will taste after you’ve refrigerated it or kept it frozen, that is why we have reheating techniques!
How can I reheat my pancit?
Once you wait for it to thaw outside the refrigerator, you can expect that your pancit bihon will taste just as tender and delicious. But to have it taste nearly as good as new, you can microwave your pancit. Just place a lid or a damp towel on top of your container. This would keep the pancit from drying up. Also make sure that you let it stay in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes only. Longer reheating might lead to tougher noodles, which result from overcooking.
Another way to reheat this is by steaming. If you have a bit more time on your hands to prepare your pancit again, this is a great method to have it taste a bit more fresh. You can even opt to use your rice cooker for this, and steam your pancit as you cook the rice. And another good option for reheating is by cooking it right up again over your stove. As a result, you can have it refreshingly hot, and tasting like new.
But if you’ve already had heaps of this delicious Pancit Bihon, you might be looking for something a bit new. Have a couple of my recommended pancit recipes!
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
Instructions
- In a large pot, Saute the garlic and onion
- Add the pork and chicken then let cook for 2 minutes
- Add the chicken cube and water then simmer for 15 minutes
- Put in the carrots, pea pod, cabbage, and celery leaves and simmer for a few minutes
- 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 well
- Add the pancit bihon (makes sure to first soak it in water for about 10 minutes) and mix well. Cook until liquid evaporates completely
- Put-in the vegetables and meat that were previously cooked and simmer for a minute or two
- Serve hot. Share and enjoy!
Christine says
Excellent recipe. I have had pancit bihon made by people born in the Philippines. This is very similar and tastes just about the same. Very easy to make.
Fil says
Made it with a twist -- Being not a pork consumer I doubled the chicken, pressure cooked in 2 cups of water seasoned with salt, pepper and a Tbsp of turmeric with chunks of carrots and celery. I saved the broth, with solids strained off. The broth replaced the chicken cube and water called for in the recipe.
I used half pound of bihon and veggies available in the refrigerator -- asparagus in lieu of snow peas, carrots, celery stalks in place of leaves, cabbage and bell pepper.
With additional seasoning of patis (fish sauce) and ground pepper it made a very noticeable difference in taste from the first I followed the recipe to a tee.
Did I give it a 5-⭐️? You bet I did!
Chantel says
Delicious and surprisingly easy to cook! I omitted the snow peas/pea pods. Just out of preference. So good, I’m learning how to perfect it to cook it for my family and friends.
Thanks!!
AnnaBee says
Hi Mr. Merano,
I always love this recipe! I would love to try this to bring for our fishing trip but I have a concern it might get bad, do you think this is a good idea for a fishing picnic food to bring?
Romel Redoblado says
OMG! I’m so terrified of making Pancit Bihon until today. Your recipe is so simple and yet tastes ahhhmazing! I can’t wait to share this dish with my family and friends! They would never believe that I made but I’ve never felt so accomplished and PROUD!
#proudpinoy
Regina Deypalan says
Very instructional guide of cooking like me who is a begginner. It gives me boost for myself to discover and enjoy cooking with your instructions that can be understand and to be cook in affordable ingradients. Keep it up.
Elise says
How can I make this on the Instant Pot pls?
Nanci bednar says
This is the recipe I learned in the Navy from my Philippino friends…I would love to find the recipe for a sweet rice cake that they used to make too..
Dyune says
Love it! I add black pepper for a little spice. More power po!