Pancit is the favorite Chinese food among Filipinos. It is
the Filipino term for noodles which is the staple food of most Asian countries. Its name pancit was derived from Hokkien, pan i sit (a Chinese dialect which means to cook fast.). It is made from rice, wheat or egg flour and formed into long strand as similar to pasta in Italy. Its popularity became a byword among Filipino household; hence, it has evolved into numerous variations popularized by every region in the Philippines. From simple recipe of pan fry with sauteed garlic, onion, meat and vegetables which is the regular serving in home parties pancit is now served in grandiose toppings of delicious ingredients and has become the favorite recipe in 5-star hotels and restaurants. During the 1996 APEC Summit in Manila, US President Bill Clinton was asked about the things he would reminisce of his stay in the country and quickly he retorted, " Pancit in Manila."
Pancit can be cooked in different ways; boiled, simmered, stewed, sautéed, fried and
popped. The Philippines has the most number of pancit variations in Asia. Each pancit was named so according to its place of origin, the kind of raw materials used, the method of preparation and the special ingredients added to it. I have searched some familiar pancit in town with thought that it might cater to the interest of the reader. : .
Pancit Variation
1. Pancit Alanganin (Pancit cnton with lomi sauce)
2.. Pancit Alahoy
3. Pancit Batchoy (round egg noodles or the so called miki) the specialty of most restaurants in Iloilo where it was first concocted. It is cooked in broth of pork and chicken and topped with raw eggs and chicharon (fried pork rind)
4. Pancit Bato - the specialty of Bicolanos. The dried noodles are also manufactured locally in the area. It is round flour noodle and can vary with vegetables mix like malunggay, carrots and squash. It is pan fry with sauteed garlic and onion.
5. Pancit Bihon (thin strand of rice noodle) the common and most popular pancit recipe in restaurants and home parties.
6. Pancit Cabagan ( stir-fried thin noodle) originated in Isabela. It is served with dark broth soup
7. Pancit
Canton (round flour noodles) the method of its cooking is the same with that of
Pancit bihon only that it has thicker strand.
8. Pancit Chami – (Popularized in Lucena City,
Quezon) round flour noodles. Its cooking method is just like pancit canton only
that all ingredients were cut diagonally and added with it is scrambled egg
also cut diagonally.
9. Pancit Estacion (popularized in Tanza, Cavite) It’s
stir-fried rice noodle which main ingredient is mung bean sprout, toge (the bean is small green ovoid and
the sprout is yellowish in color) This is use as a substitute for noodles. Its
sauce includes tinapa(smoke fish), achuete (annatto)kamis
10. Pancit Habhab (concocted in Lucban, Quezon) a simple
fried pancit canton. It is served by placing on a banana leaf , holding it on a
palm and consumed directly into the mouth. It is usually sold by peddler with
the absence of spoon or fork. Hence, the name habhab is the local term for
the manner it is consumed
11.Pancit Kilawan (a variety of pancit popularized by folks
from Rosario, Cavite). Another noodles substitute, the
unripe papaya fruit is cooked with vinegar and fish. Commonly combined with dinuguan (stewed pork blood)
12.Pancit Lomi (is the specialty in Batangas) Lomi is a
noodle soup but with thicker sauce because
of the heavy combination of meat, the beef, chicken, pork, shrimp mix with
squid balls, kikiam or shrimp balls, beaten egg and cassava flour.. Only pieces
of vegetables like onions and leek are added to it, and then seasoned with fish
sauce.and calamansi juice. There is an optional topping like tofu, fried garlic
and chicharon.
13. Pancit Lucban ( rice flour noodles and solely
manufactured in Lucban, Quezon) It is cooked with especially ingredients of
Lucban’s native longganisa and dried oregano spices. Most palatable in thick
sauce and consumed in steaming hot.
14. Pancit Luglug (round rice noodle). It is cooked similar
to Pancit Malabon only that it has a thicker sauce.
15 Pancit Malabon (originated in Malabon City,
Metro Manila). It is made palatable
because of its sauce that includes extracted juice of crab meat and fish sauce
colored with natural colorant from achuete (annatto) and thickened with corn
starch. It is garnished with mouthwatering boiled eggs, shrimp, squid and
oysters arranged attractively and topped with combination of tinapa flakes
(smoked fish) and chicharon (fried pork rind). Pancit is cooked and boiled
separately with sauce
.
16. Pancit Mami (round or flat egg noodles) it is cooked in
boiling meat broth.
17. Pancit Miki
(round egg noodles ) can be sautéed or boiled in meat broth or can be pan
fried just like the Pancit Bihon.
18. Pancit Miki-Bihon Guisado (thin strand of round egg
noodles and bihon) Mostly cooked with sauteed garlic and onion with pieces of
meat and vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce and calamansi extract.
It is included in the quick order recipe in most restaurants in town.
19. Pancit Miswa – This actually a super thin noodle made
with flour and easily breaks. It cooks fast.
It is usually cooked in ginger and meat broth. It is also added with patola (sponge gourd)
20. Pancit Olongapo (originated in Ologapo ) It is pancit
Miki with sauce. Made from the thickened broth of chicken and pork and mix with
soy sauce
21 Pancit Molo –It is called pancit molo though not having
noodles at all but the pancit word is commonly attached to its name because of
the manner it is cooked which is akin to pancit mami but resembles more with
that of wanton soup because the main ingredients is wrapped in molo wrapper.
22. Pancit Morong
23.Pancit Palabok-its method of preparation and the type of
noodles is similar with the Pancil Luglug and Malabon but in Palabok the sauce
is thicker than the two recipe and usually topped with boiled egg and sliced of
lemon..
24.Pancit Pula(variation
of Pancit Miki from Batangas
City
25.Pancit Sabaw - Miki in soup
26.. Pancit Sotanghon (rice vermicelli) can be sauteed in garlic
and onion like Pancit Bihon or cooked in broth with ginger and piece of
chicken or boiled egg colored with achuete (annatto) to look more palatable
27. Pancit Tuguegarao or Batil Patong-(a popular dish in
Tuguegarao, Cagayan) It is fried with sautéed garlic, ground pork or even
carabeef. Added with vegetables, crushed chicharon and fried egg. With optional
ingredients of liver and hotdog. The sauce is the usual soy sauce and calamansi
juice and vinegar
28. Pancit Sinanta (also from Tuguegarao, consists of flat
egg noodles, bihon, clams. Cooked in chicken broth and colored with soaked
annatto.
29. .Pancit Buco or Buco Pancit (a recent addition to its
variation) instead of noodles the shredded young coconut is used and cooked
just like the Pancit Bihon
