Pancit Bihon recipe or Pancit Guisado is a delicious Filipino noodle dish that is easy to make and uses bihon noodles, pork, shrimp or chicken and a variety of chopped vegetables. It is well loved by Filipinos and foreigners alike.
Bihon also called cornstarch sticks is a type of noodle made of cornstarch. Pancit Bihon is popular among my foreigner friends and when I make it, I use chicken breast instead of pork and shrimp.
Pancit Bihon or Pancit Guisado is stir-fried bihon noodles (cornstarch sticks), pork, shrimp and vegetables.
It is served as a snack or as a main dish. I know it sounds odd but Filipinos love to eat Pancit Bihon with plain white rice or rice cake (puto). An ex boyfriend was wondering why I ate noodles with rice just like I ate spaghetti with rice. Oh well...
Lemon or calamansi with fish sauce is usually serve with this noodle dish. Some people don't bother adding this sauce with their pancit bihon, but to me, it is a must as it adds more flavor. The only caveat though, I end up eating more rice. Not good for my waistline!
During Filipino gatherings especially a birthday party, pancit bihon is always part of the spread. It is a superstitious belief among Filipinos that long noodles signify a healthy long life.
My mom always prepared any type of noodle dish on our birthdays and it was always a hit with everyone.
Drizzle noodles with a mixture of calamansi or lemon and fish sauce.
Tips in Cooking Pancit Bihon
Depending on the region, it is slightly cook a different way. When I was going to school, my roommate made this with pork liver. It was good, but I end up picking out all the liver and ate the rest.
Aside from pork, shrimp or chicken, you can also use Chinese sausage. If you don't care for any meat, it will work as well.
During my early days of cooking, I used soy sauce solely to make this dish. Now, I have incorporated fish sauce and less soy sauce so noodles are lighter in color. Fish sauce adds a lot of flavor to any dish.
This dish will work well with other vegetables like broccoli, pea pods, celery and cabbage. Under cook vegetables while sauteing. It will continue cooking when broth and noodles are added. Keep vegetables crisp and not soggy for a delightful dish.
Shrimp stock is used to soften bihon noodles, more flavorful than using water.
Did you know that some leftover vegetable dish can be use to make pancit bihon? When I have leftover Ginisang Kinchay at Tokwa, all I do is add broth and noodles.
Guess what, I just made another scrumptious meal with less time spent in the kitchen.
Leftover tofu with kinchay is used as ingredients to make pancit guisado.
For broth, you can use chicken broth or shrimp stock. Don't discard the shrimp head and skin and make your own shrimp stock. Check out my post on how to make shrimp stock.
Add just enough broth or you will end up with a soupy noodle dish. Once you add the noodles, it will absorb the broth in about 3 minutes.
Noodles are stiff at first. Then use a kitchen utensil and press it down to fully submerge it in the broth. However, it can happen that you run out of broth and noodles are a bit underdone. Pour some broth until noodles are cooked.
Another way to soften noodles is submerging it in cold water while sauteing the ingredients. Drain water before adding it.
If cooking with vegetables only, I highly suggest to use broth or shrimp stock for flavor.
Store leftover pancit in the fridge and it is even tastier after a day.
How to Make Pancit Bihon Recipe and Video
I love this dish so much and I routinely make it. When I make it, my mom would always comment that it seems like I’m feeding the whole army. I don’t mind having it for a few days in a row and I find it more flavorful after a day.
Watch my video and see how easy and simple this Pancit Bihon recipe. Enjoy! Magluto na tayo.
Try Other Filipino Noodle Recipes
Recipe
Pancit Bihon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic ,minced
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ pound ground pork or sliced pork
- ½ pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 15 - 20 pieces green beans sliced on a bias
- 1 medium carrot sliced thinly on a bias and cut in half
- 6 cups shrimp broth (can be pork or chicken broth)
- 8 ½ ounces bihon noodles
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cups cabbage shredded
- 2 big stalks green onions chopped
- calamansi or lemon cut into wedges
- salt or fish sauce to taste
Instructions
- In a wok or a large skillet, add oil over medium heat.
- Saute onion for 2 minutes
- Add garlic and cook till golden brown.
- Add fish sauce and pork.
- Cook pork till pale brown.
- Toss-in shrimp and cook till pink.
- Saute green beans and cook for 1 minute.
- Toss-in carrots and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low.
- Stir-in soy sauce.
- Slowly add bihon noodles, submerging it into the broth. In a few minutes, it will soften and will be easier to mix with the other ingredients.Â
- While noodles are cooking, broth will be reduced until fully absorbed.
- Season with salt or fish sauce.
- Turn off heat. Serve hot with calamansi or lemon, ground pepper and fish sauce (patis) on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use pork, chicken, Chinese sausage or shrimp.Â
- Use chicken broth or shrimp stock to cook noodles. Make shrimp stock with shrimp head and peel. Check my post "How to Make Shrimp Stock".
- You can also soak noodles in water till softened. Put in a coriander to drain.
- Other vegetables can be used with this noodle dish. In fact, when I have leftover Ginisang Tokwa with Kinchay, I add broth and noodles and that's my other version of pancit. It is delicious.
- Under cook all the vegetables since it will continue to cook when noodles is cooking. Keep veggies crisp.Â
Nutrition
You are not limited to these vegetables. This noodle dish is very versatile.
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