The most popular Filipino rice vermicelli noodles made at home. Make this with pork or chicken and signature vegetables such carrots, cabbage and celery (plus more!) for that distinct pancit aroma.
Boil pork in water and salt until tender. Remove the scum as it arises. Once the meat is tender, transfer it to a chopping board. Slice it into small strips. Reserve the broth.
Soak bihon noodles in room temperature water (not hot) until soft and hydrated, 10 minutes. Drain and discard water.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add shrimp and fish ball. Saute until it turns pink, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
100 grams fish ball, fish cake or shrimp
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add sliced pork and stir-fry until slightly brown. Add carrots and stalk celery. Cook for 2 minutes.
250 grams pork, 1 medium carrot, 2 stalks celery or leafy celery
Stir in cabbage and snow peas. Pour 1 tablespoon of the sauce mixture and 2-3 tablespoons of the broth. Continue stirring until vegetables are cooked but still crisp. Do a taste test. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Transfer to a large plate including the liquid (if there's any).
1 cup snow peas, 2 stalks celery or leafy celery
Noodles
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok. Add remaining garlic and onion. Stir-fry until translucent. Pour broth, bouillon, dark soy sauce, and remaining sauce. Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
1 1/2 cup broth, 1 piece shrimp bouillon, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Add bihon noodles. Simmer until the bottom side has softened. Using two large spoons flip to the other side and cook until noodles are completely soaked in the sauce. TOSS (don't stir) every so often until liquid is almost dried out and noodles are completely hydrated. Taste test noodles to check doneness. If noodles look dry, add a bit more broth.
Add back half of the cooked vegetables, shrimp, and fish ball. Toss everything together. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving plate and top with remaining vegetables. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Meat - use pork belly or pork butt/shoulder. For chicken, I prefer using boneless chicken thighs for a juicier texture.
Bihon Noodles - also known as rice vermicelli, bee hon,or bihun. Available in most Asian stores and online like Amazon. I recommend using rice vermicelli made of rice and cornstarch instead of just pure rice. I find them sturdier and do not break easily during the cooking process.
Filipino soy sauce - substitute with 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce for depth of color.
Dark soy sauce - add to deepen the color of the noodles without making them salty. Totally optional.
To make with chicken: You can follow the same steps as pork which require boiling or directly stir-frying sliced chicken pieces in hot oil until cooked through. Use water instead of broth for the sauce.