This Pancit Canton recipe is a popular Filipino stir-fried noodles with meat, shrimp, a medley of vegetables and noodles made of wheat flour.
In the Philippines, there are many versions of pancit using different types of noodles. Just like Pancit Canton, these other versions of pancit to name pancit guisado, pancit malabon, pancit luglug are popular as well, especially on special occasions or any type of gathering.
To most Asians, noodles signify long life, so it is common to see it on birthday celebrations but it is routinely served in any household. It is quick, easy and delicious.
Depending on your ingredients, it is prepared and cooked in half an hour.
I remember when we were kids, during a doctor’s appointment my mom would always take us to Moon Palace. They had one of the best saucy Pancit Canton.
Ingredients of Pancit Canton Recipe
Pancit Canton is dubbed as being similar to Lo Mein which they are, but differ slightly in seasoning and noodles. Both use soy sauce, meat or shrimp and a variety of vegetables.
This Pancit Canton recipe is very versatile. Here are your options when making canton.
Canton is delicious loaded with a medley of vegetables. Carrots, green beans, cabbage, shitake mushroom, snap peas, celery are some of the vegetables you can use.
Use pork, chicken, shrimp or a combination of all. Some people add liver but we don’t.
Shrimp stock or broth will add more flavor to this noodle dish than using water. Chicken or pork broth can be used too.
This Lent season, you can still make this noodle dish by eliminating all the meat and keeping the shrimp and adding a few of the ingredients below.
Fish ball, squid ball, shrimp ball and Chinese sausage are options for meat. During my lazy moments, it is easier to use these ingredients. Just chop it and it is ready to go.
How to Cook Pancit Canton
Get noodles from an Asian store that has a big turnover of inventory. A few times, I got stale noodles and it went straight to the trash can.
Don’t overcook noodles as it can get soggy.
Keep your vegetables crisp. Either blanch the vegetables or remove it after sauteing then put it back once noodles are cooked. But I don’t do any of these, I prefer it simple and not complicated.
Half cooked the vegetables before adding the shrimp stock and noodles and they will cook at the same time.
A mixture of soy sauce and calamansi juice (key lime) is served on the side and drizzled over Pancit Canton but I prefer a combination of fish sauce and calamansi or lemon.
The sauce enhances the flavor of pancit canton. Calamansi is not easily available abroad so substitute with lemon.
Try Other Delicious Filipino Pancit Recipe
Call it weird but Filipinos love rice with their noodles!
Recipe
How to Cook Pancit Canton
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster 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 ounces 227g pancit canton noodles (wheat flour sticks)
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cups cabbage shredded
- calamansi or lemon cut into wedges
- salt or fish sauce to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- In a skillet, add oil over medium heat.
- Saute onion for 2 minutes
- Add garlic and cook till golden brown.
- Add fish sauce and ground pork.
- Cook pork till pale brown.
- Toss-in shrimp and cook till pink.
- Toss-in green beans and carrots and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour shrimp broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low.
- Stir-in soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Add pancit canton noodles, submerging it into the broth. Once it soften, it will be easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- While noodles are cooking, broth will be reduced until fully absorbed.
- Stir-in cabbage.
- Season with salt or fish sauce.
- Turn off heat. Serve hot with the traditional tuyomansi (calamansi or lemon and soy sauce) or calamansi and fish sauce and ground pepper on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep vegetables crisps.
- Do not overcook pancit canton noodles.
- When using pork, you have the option to use ground pork. Easier and more flavorful.
- Pancit Canton noodles can get stale. So check it first before cooking.
- Flavor is enhanced when adding tuyomansi or if you prefer fish sauce and calamansi.
Nutrition
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