Pancit Canton

About This Recipe

Pancit canton is one of the Philippines' most beloved noodle dishes and one of the first things children learn to cook. It is inseparable from birthday celebrations — in Filipino culture, long noodles symbolise long life and must never be cut. The dish combines thick egg-wheat noodles (canton noodles) with pork, shrimp, cabbage, carrots and Chinese sausage, all stir-fried together in a savoury sauce of soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. It is fast, flexible and deeply comforting — a dish that tastes of home for millions of Filipinos around the world. The name pancit comes from the Hokkien 'pian i sit' meaning 'conveniently cooked', reflecting the Chinese influence on Filipino cuisine.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 250 gcanton noodles(or thick egg noodles)
• 200 gpork shoulder or belly(thinly sliced)
• 150 gmedium shrimp(peeled and deveined)
• 2 linksChinese sausage (chorizo de Bilbao)(sliced diagonally)
• 1 mediumonion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 mediumcarrots(julienned)
• 200 gcabbage(shredded)
• 100 gsnow peas
• 3 tablespoonssoy sauce
• 2 tablespoonsoyster sauce
• 1 tablespoonfish sauce
• 300 mlchicken stock
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 2spring onions(to garnish)
• 1lemon or calamansi(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Stir-fry the proteins

   Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry pork until browned, about 3 minutes. Add Chinese sausage and cook 1 minute. Add garlic and onion, cook 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Push everything to the side.

2. 2

   Add vegetables

   Add carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add cabbage and snow peas, toss for 1 minute. They should stay slightly crisp.

3. 3

   Add noodles

   Add canton noodles to the wok along with chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Toss and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until noodles are cooked through and have absorbed most of the liquid.

   Keep the heat high throughout — low heat will make the noodles clump and become soggy.

4. 4

   Garnish and serve

   Transfer to a platter. Garnish with sliced spring onions. Serve with lemon or calamansi wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Variations

• •

  Pancit bihon uses thin rice vermicelli instead of canton noodles.

• •

  Pancit palabok is a different dish altogether with a shrimp-based orange sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add a splash of stock when reheating in a pan over high heat.

Frequently Asked Questions