Pancit Bihon (Filipino Rice Noodles)

Pancit bihon is a classic Filipino dish of stir-fried rice noodles, crunchy veggies, pork, and a savory sauce. This recipe is worthy of a celebration but easy enough for a family dinner.

Ingredients

For the pork

• 1/2 pound boneless pork belly or pork shoulder, whole slab
• 3 cups water, for boiling the pork
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the stir-fry

• 8 ounces dried pancit bihon noodles
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large rib celery, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped, white and green parts divided
• 1 tablespoon patis (fish sauce)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
• 2 cups green beans, edges trimmed, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 1/2 cups broth, from cooking the pork
• 2 tablespoons toyo (soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon calamansi juice (or lemon juice)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For serving

• 1/4 cup patis (fish sauce)
• 1 tablespoon calamansi juice (or lemon juice)

Method

1. Cook the pork:Using a sharp knife, trim off and discard any excess fat from the pork.In a medium-sized stockpot, combine the pork with about 3 cups of water, or enough to cover the meat. Sprinkle with salt and ground pepper.Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until tender, about 45 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pork broth for the stir-fry. When the meat is fork-tender, remove from the liquid and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 to 15 minutes to cool. Slice the pork into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
2. Soften the bihon noodles:Place the dry noodles in a large bowl. Pour some water into a small bowl, and use your fingers to sprinkle water over the noodles until they become damp. Continue sprinkling water until the noodles get soft and pliable but not mushy. Set aside.SIMPLE TIP!Some recipes suggest soaking the dried bihon noodles in water for a few minutes. I prefer to instead sprinkle water to soften the noodles. This method has worked well for my pancit and the noodles do not melt or clump together before cooking.
   
3. Stir fry the vegetables:Place a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, celery, and the white parts of the green onion and stir fry until soft and fragrant, for about 2 minutes. Add the patis (fish sauce). Add the carrot and green beans and stir fry until beginning to soften. Add the shredded cabbage and toss well.
4. Add the pork, noodles, and sauce:Add the sliced, cooked pork to the mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth, the toyo (soy sauce), and calamansi juice. Stir to mix.Add the damp bihon noodles. Combine the noodles and the rest of the ingredients well.Cover the pan with a lid. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the noodles soften and blend well with the ingredients. The white noodles will become translucent as they cook and the broth will coat the noodles and give them a light brown hue. The broth eventually gets absorbed by the noodles the longer it simmers and should result in a dry pancit noodle dish. This will take 8 to 10 minutes total.
5. Season and serve:Sprinkle salt and pepper all over, to taste. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions.Serve warm with a dipping sauce of patis mixed with calamansi juice.Pancit bihon is best when served soon after it is cooked. If there are any leftovers, store pancit in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a day. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. It is not advisable to freeze pancit bihon because the noodles will get watery and the vegetables wilt.