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What is Pancit?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Pancit is a Filipino noodle dish that comes in a dizzying array of incarnations. Many people consider it to be the national dish of the Philippines, since it is so common in this tropical nation. Many people outside the Philippines think of pancit when asked to visualize the cuisine of the Philippines, and this noodle dish is often the first introduction to the rich culinary tradition of this country, which has been influenced by both Asian and Spanish cooking traditions.

It is difficult to point to one noodle dish and call it pancit. It may be made with rice noodles, wheat noodles, or noodles derived from another source of starch. It may be served with a dry sauce, a thick sloppy sauce, or even a broth or soup. Toppings are incredibly varied, including things like hard boiled eggs, shredded meat, and finely sliced vegetables, and the flavors of this dish are quite diverse.

Hard boiled eggs, which can be used to top pancit.
Hard boiled eggs, which can be used to top pancit.

The origins of pancit probably lie in China. Food historians suspect that the Chinese introduced the concept of noodles to the Philippines at some point, along with a few dishes which could be made with them. The influences of Chinese noodle dishes can be clearly seen, especially in dishes like pancit Canton, which is named for a city in China. The name for the dish itself is believed to be derived from pian i sit, which means "something cooked conveniently and quickly."

Vegetarians can add tofu to their pancit.
Vegetarians can add tofu to their pancit.

One common variant is pancit bihon, which is made with extremely thin rice noodles, soy sauce, citrus, sliced meats, and vegetables. Many versions incorporate multiple meats; pork, shrimp, and beef are all common. Sauces can be spicy with chilies, rich with ground peanuts, or savory as a result of the addition of soy sauce. Fans of dishes like pad thai and yakisoba would probably find pancit a relatively familiar dish.

Rice noodles are used to make some variations of pancit.
Rice noodles are used to make some variations of pancit.

If a cook wants to make pancit at home, it's tough to go wrong. He or she may want to include ingredients like soy sauce, sliced green onions, citrus juice, and shrimp or fish sauce in the sauce, but should by no means feel limited by these ingredients. Meats like grilled shrimp, shredded beef, and pork are all common; vegetarians may want to try tofu for texture. Pancit also typically includes cabbage at a minimum, although other vegetables tend to be welcomed, and the cook can top it with crumbled pork rinds or minced onions as a garnish.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

liz1103

@andromeda- I would suggest checking out one of the popular recipe websites on line to find a recipe for pancit. You will find a variety of pancit recipes with different ingredients and levels of ease. I found a recipe I use to make pancit with chicken.

It calls for dried rice noodles, onion, vegetable oil, garlic, cabbage, carrots, soy sauce, chicken, and lemons for garnish. It is a simple dish to make in my opinion, but it comes out great. You can experiment with different kinds of meat and toppings to suit your tastes.

andromeda

I have been experimenting with cuisines from different parts of the world. Does anyone have an easy pancit recipe? It sounds tasty!

Matis

My step-mother is from the Philippines. She is a great cook and brought many traditional recipes to our kitchen. We had pancit on many occasions, what a delicious noodle dish.

My favorite pancit dish that she makes would have to be pancit malabon. This version has thick rice noodles and lots of seafood topping. She generally uses smoked fish flakes, squid, and shrimp. I grew up on the coast, so I like pretty much any dish with seafood.

Sometimes she also adds salted eggs, oysters, and mung bean sprouts. The sauce is made with shrimp paste and fish sauce. It is to die for. If you enjoy seafood, give pancit malabon a try.

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    • Hard boiled eggs, which can be used to top pancit.
      By: Igor Dutina
      Hard boiled eggs, which can be used to top pancit.
    • Vegetarians can add tofu to their pancit.
      By: Jiri Hera
      Vegetarians can add tofu to their pancit.
    • Rice noodles are used to make some variations of pancit.
      By: Red Rice Media
      Rice noodles are used to make some variations of pancit.
    • Pancit is a Filipino noodle dish that is considered by some as the national dish of the Philippines.
      By: ndoeljindoel
      Pancit is a Filipino noodle dish that is considered by some as the national dish of the Philippines.