Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional
noodle
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, ...
dishes in
Filipino cuisine
Filipino cuisine ( fil, lutong Pilipino/pagkaing Pilipino) is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose F ...
. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingredients.
Most pancit dishes are characteristically served with
calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, as its freshly-squeezed juice may be used for additional seasoning.
Noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
were introduced to the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
by
Chinese immigrants
Overseas Chinese () refers to people of Chinese birth or ethnicity who reside outside Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. As of 2011, there were over 40.3 million overseas Chinese.
Terminology
() or ''Hoan-kheh'' () in Hokkien ...
over the centuries. They have been fully adopted and nativized into the local cuisine, even incorporating Spanish influences.
There are numerous regional types of pancit throughout the Philippines, usually differing on the available indigenous ingredients of an area. Unique variants do not use noodles at all, but instead substitute it with strips of
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or ...
, young
papaya
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...
,
mung bean sprouts,
bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including ''Bambusa vulgaris'' and ''Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes and b ...
s, or seaweed.
Description

The term ''pancit'' (or the
standardised but less common ''pansít'') is derived from either the
Philippine Hokkien
Philippine Hokkien is a dialect of the Hokkien language of the Southern Min branch, primarily spoken vernacularly by Chinese Filipinos in the Philippines, where it serves as the local Chinese ''lingua franca'', primarily spoken as an oral langua ...
terms 扁食 () or 便的食 ().
In the Filipino language, ''pansít'' is the generic word for noodles.
Different kinds of noodles can be found in Filipino supermarkets which can then be cooked at home. Noodle dishes are also standard fare in local restaurants, with establishments specializing in them called ''panciterias'' or ''pancitans''.

Pancit has evolved in Filipino cuisine to combine both Chinese and Spanish techniques, as well as use local ingredients. Pancit is most commonly cooked by sautéing (''guisado'' in
Philippine Spanish
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
) them with garlic, onions, vegetables (commonly
carrots,
green bean
Green beans are young, unripe fruits of various cultivars of the common bean ('' Phaseolus vulgaris''), although immature or young pods of the runner bean ('' Phaseolus coccineus''), yardlong bean ( ''Vigna unguiculata'' subsp. ''sesquipedali ...
s,
cabbage,
bell pepper
The bell pepper (also known as paprika, sweet pepper, pepper, or capsicum ) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orang ...
s,
chayote
Chayote (''Sechium edule''), also known as mirliton and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in Mesoamerica between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversi ...
,
bottle gourd
Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvested young to be consumed ...
, ''
patola'',
oyster mushroom
''Pleurotus'' is a genus of gilled mushrooms which includes one of the most widely eaten mushrooms, '' P. ostreatus''. Species of ''Pleurotus'' may be called oyster, abalone, or tree mushrooms, and are some of the most commonly cultivated edib ...
s, and
cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species '' Brassica oleracea'' in the genus ''Brassica'', which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – t ...
, among others), and meat (including different kinds of Philippine ''
longganisa
Longaniza (, or ) is a Spanish sausage ( embutido) similar to a chorizo and also closely associated with the Portuguese linguiça. Its defining characteristics are interpreted differently from region to region. It is popular in the cuisines o ...
s'') or seafood (including shrimp, fish, squid, crab,
oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...
s, clams, and
fish ball
Fish balls are rounded meat balls made from fish paste which are then boiled or deep fried. Similar in composition to fishcake, fish balls are often made from fish mince or surimi, salt, and a culinary binder such as tapioca flour, corn, ...
s). Rarer ingredients include ''
kamias
''Averrhoa bilimbi'' (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus ''Averrhoa'', family Oxalidaceae.
It is a close relative of the carambola tree.
Description
''Averrhoa bilimbi'' is a small tro ...
'',
coconut milk
Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...
,
banana blossoms,
mustard greens
''Brassica juncea'', commonly brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard, is a species of mustard plant.
Cultivar
''Brassica juncea'' cultivars can be divided into four major subgroups ...
,
okra
Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with sup ...
,
calabaza
Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish language for any type of winter squash. Within an English-language context it specifically refers to what is also known as the West Indian pumpkin, a winter squash typically grown in the West Indies, t ...
,
''tengang daga'' mushrooms, and
shitake mushrooms.
The ingredients of the sauce varies by recipe. These ingredients include
soy sauce (or salt),
vinegar
Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to ...
, fish sauce (''
patis''), ''
bagoong alamang
Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are eithe ...
'' (
shrimp paste
Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are ei ...
), ''
taba ng talangka
''Taba ng talangka'' (), also known simply as ''aligi'' (; es, arigue o es, label=none, aligué), is a Filipino seafood paste derived from the roe and reddish or orange tomalley of river swimming crabs or Asian shore crabs (''talangka'').
...
'' (crab fat),
oyster sauce
Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from oyster extracts,The Times, 22 January 1981; ''Cook Accidentally on purpose'' sugar, salt and water thick ...
,
bugnay wine,
fermented soy bean paste
Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East, South and Southeast Asia. In some cases, such as the production of '' miso'', other varieties of beans, s ...
, and various sweet sauces (including
coconut aminos
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the f ...
and ''
inihaw
Inihaw ( ), also known as sinugba or inasal, are various types of grilled or pit-roasted barbecue dishes from the Philippines. They are usually made from pork or chicken and are served on bamboo skewers or in small cubes with a soy sauce and ...
'' sauces).
They can also be cooked in a broth or braised. Almost all pancit dishes are also uniquely served with sliced halves of
calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, meant to be squeezed over the noodles (at the consumer's discretion) as the juice adds a tangy sourness. The most common other garnishings and condiments are flaked smoked fish (''
tinapa
Tinapa
''Tinapa'', a Filipino term, is fish cooked or preserved through the process of smoking. It is a native delicacy in the Philippines and is often made from blackfin scad (''Alepes melanoptera'', known locally as ''galunggong''), or from m ...
''), fried garlic, crumbled pork cracklings (''
chicharon''),
labuyo chili
''Siling labuyo'' is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species '' Capsicum frutescens'' and is characterized by triangular fruits which grow pointing upwards. The ...
s,
shallot
The shallot is a botanical variety (a cultivar) of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as the ...
s, ground
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in di ...
, glutinous rice ''
okoy
''Okoy'' or ''ukoy'', are Filipino crispy deep-fried fritters made with glutinous rice batter, unshelled small shrimp, and various vegetables, including calabaza, sweet potato, cassava, mung bean sprouts, scallions and julienned carrots, on ...
'', ''
kinchay'',
peanut
The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible Seed, seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small ...
s, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. Some regions may also add sliced
bilimbi
''Averrhoa bilimbi'' (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus '' Averrhoa'', family Oxalidaceae.
It is a close relative of the carambola tree.
Description
''Averrhoa bilimbi'' is a small t ...
fruits (''kamias'').
Pancit dishes are generally named after the types of noodles used. The most commonly used noodles are ''canton'' (
egg noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
, usually round), ''bihon'' (
rice vermicelli
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as 'rice noodles' or 'rice sticks', but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rathe ...
), ''lomi'' (thick
egg noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
), ''miki'' (soft yellow
egg noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
, usually flat), ''misua'' or ''miswa'' (
wheat vermicelli), ''palabok'' (yellow cornstarch noodles), ''sotanghon'' (
glass noodles), and ''
odong
Odong, also called pancit odong, is a Visayan noodle soup made with noodles, canned smoked sardines (''tinapa'') in tomato sauce, bottle gourd (), loofah (), chayote, ginger, garlic, red onions, and various other vegetables. It is garnished an ...
'' (yellow flour noodles). They can also be named after their method of cooking, their origin, and their main ingredients.
File:Pancit canton.jpg, ''Canton'' (egg noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
, usually round)
File:Pancit bihon (Philippines) 07.jpg, ''Bihon'' (rice vermicelli
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as 'rice noodles' or 'rice sticks', but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rathe ...
)
File:Pancit miki from the Philippines 04.jpg, ''Miki'' (soft yellow egg noodles
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...
, usually flat)
File:2108Cuisine foods plants ants of Bulacan 18.jpg, ''Sotanghon'' (bean vermicelli
Cellophane noodles, or fensi (), sometimes called glass noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch (such as mung bean starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca, or canna starch) and water. A stabilizer such as chitosa ...
)
File:Pancit odong (Philippines) 10.jpg, ''Odong
Odong, also called pancit odong, is a Visayan noodle soup made with noodles, canned smoked sardines (''tinapa'') in tomato sauce, bottle gourd (), loofah (), chayote, ginger, garlic, red onions, and various other vegetables. It is garnished an ...
'' (yellow flour noodles)
File:Almondigas.JPG, ''Misua'' or ''miswa'' ( wheat vermicelli)
Pancit is considered both an everyday staple and a
comfort food
Comfort food is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone, and may be characterized by its high caloric nature, high carbohydrate level, or simple preparation. The nostalgia may be specific to an individual, or it may appl ...
. Pancit can be eaten alone, but they are also frequently eaten paired with
white rice
White rice is milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. This alters the flavor, texture and appearance of the rice and helps prevent spoilage, extend its storage life, and makes it easier to digest. After milling ( hulling), the ...
, bread (usually ''
pandesal
Pandesal ( es, pan de sal, salt bread, lit. "salt bread") is a staple bread roll in the Philippines commonly eaten for breakfast. It is made of flour, yeast, sugar, oil, and salt.
Description
''Pandesal'' is a popular yeast-raised bread in th ...
''), and ''
puto
Puto may refer to:
* Puto, a Spanish profanity
* Puto (film), a 1987 Filipino teen fantasy comedy
* Puto (food), a Filipino food
* Puto (genus), a genus of scale insects
* Puto (song), by Mexican band Molotov
* Puto (TV series), a 2021 Filipin ...
'' (steamed
rice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten and are particularly preval ...
s).
Pancit dishes are commonly served during gatherings, events festivals, and religious activities, due to the ease in which they can be cooked in large quantities.
Nancy Reyes Lumen of the
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) is a non-profit media organization specializing in investigative journalism. It is based in Quezon City, Philippines. Established in 1989 by nine Filipino journalists, the organization fu ...
writes that a belief originating from
Chinese Filipino
Chinese Filipinos; tl, Tsinoy, / Tsinong Pilipino, ; Hokkien in the Philippines, Philippine Hokkien , Mandarin Chinese in the Philippines, Mandarin (also known as Filipino Chinese in the Philippines) are Filipinos of Chinese descent, mo ...
s holds that noodles should be eaten on one's birthday. They are therefore commonly served at birthday celebrations and Chinese restaurants nationwide often have "birthday noodles" listed on the menu.
Pancit dishes

*''
Batchoy
Batchoy, less commonly spelled batsoy, is a noodle soup made with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles. Its origins can be traced to the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines, hence it is ...
'' – a noodle soup made with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles. Its origins can be traced to the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines
*''
Maki mi'' – thick
pork tenderloin
Pork tenderloin, also called pork fillet, pork steak or Gentleman's Cut, is a long, thin cut of pork.
As with all quadrupeds, the tenderloin refers to the psoas major muscle along the central spine portion, ventral to the lumbar vertebrae, t ...
soup originating from the Chinese-Filipino community of
Binondo
Binondo () is a district in Manila and is referred to as the city's Chinatown. Its influence extends beyond to the places of Quiapo, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas and Tondo. It is the oldest Chinatown in the world, established in 1594 by the ...
,
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital city, capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is Cities of the Philippines#Independent cities, highly urbanize ...
.
*''
Pancit Abra
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – common in
Northern Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political cen ...
, particularly in the province of
Abra. A variant of ''Pancit Miki'', in either soupy or fried version.
*''
Pancit alanganin
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – originated from
Bocaue
Bocaue, officially the Municipality of Bocaue ( tgl, Bayan ng Bocaue), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 141,412 people.
With the continuous expansion of Met ...
,
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Me ...
. It is made similarly to pancit canton but has a soupy broth with added
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulati ...
.
*''Pancit Bam-I'' – also known as ''Pancit Bisaya''. A specialty originating in
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and ...
, with ''bihon'' (rice) and ''canton'' (wheat) noodles sautéed together.
*''
Pancit batchoy'' – Iloilo's stir-fried version of batchoy.
*''
Pancit Bato
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – is local to the Bicol Region; especially the town of Bato in Camarines Sur. The noodles are slightly toasted while it's still dry.
*''
Pancit bihon guisado'' – or simply ''pancit bihon'' (traditionally and historically also spelled as ) is the type usually associated with the word "''pancit''", very thin
rice noodle
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera ''Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domesticated, ...
s (rice vermicelli) fried with
soy sauce some
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is nati ...
, possibly with
patís
''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng'') or krill or shrimp paste (''alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''patís''.
The pre ...
, and some variation of sliced meat and chopped vegetables. The exact ''
bihon'' composition depends on someone's personal recipe but usually,
Chinese sausage
Chinese sausage is a generic term referring to the many different types of sausages originating in China. The southern flavor of Chinese sausage is commonly known by its Cantonese name (or ) ().
Varieties
There is a choice of fatty or lean sau ...
and
cabbage are the basic relish.
*''
Pancit Cabagan
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – served in
Cabagan, Isabela
Cabagan, officially the Municipality of Cabagan ( ibg, Ili nat Cabagan; ilo, Ili ti Cabagan; tl, Bayan ng Cabagan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,8 ...
and nearby towns. Stir-fried and served either dry with separate soup, or "wet" or soup and noodles combined.
*''Pancit canton'' – Filipino adaptation of ''
lo mein
Lo mein () is a Chinese dish with egg noodles. It often contains vegetables and some type of meat or seafood, usually beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp. It might also be served with wontons (called ''húntun'' 餛飩/馄饨 in Mandarin) although ...
'' and ''
chow mein
''Chow mein'' ( and , ; Pinyin: ''chǎomiàn'') is a Chinese dish made from stir-fried noodles with vegetables and sometimes meat or tofu. Over the centuries, variations of ''chǎomiàn'' were developed in many regions of China; there are se ...
''. Either in instant or stir-fried versions. It is named after the type of noodle used.
*''
Pancit canton Ilonggo''
*''
Pancit canton (Instant)'' - Not considered a true pancit dish but popularized by instant noodle manufacturers, where noodles are boiled, drained, and flavored with a sachet packet of flavoring, and has no other protein or vegetables added.
*''
Pancit chami'' – from
Lucena City, Quezon
*''
Pancit choca
''Pancit choca'' is a Filipino black seafood noodle dish made with squid ink and ''bihon'' (rice vermicelli). It originates from Cavite, Philippines, and is originally known as ''pancit choca en su tinta'' in Caviteño Chavacano. It is also kn ...
'' (or ''Pancit pusít'') – a black ''pancit'' from
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
made with
squid ink
Cephalopod ink is a dark-coloured or luminous ink released into water by most species of cephalopod, usually as an escape mechanism. All cephalopods, with the exception of the Nautilidae and the Cirrina (deep-sea octopuses), are able to releas ...
and ''
bihon''.
*''
Pancit habhab'' – A
Lucban
Lucban, officially the Municipality of Lucban ( tgl, Bayan ng Lukban), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,091 people.
Lucban is dubbed as the Art Capital, ...
, Quezon specialty. Served in banana leaves, eaten directly without utensils, the name is an
onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Such a word itself is also called an onomatopoeia. Common onomatopoeias include animal noises such as ''oink'', '' ...
of eating it, like a pig snorts.
*''
Pancit kilawin
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – a variety of ''pancit'' which originated in
Rosario
Rosario () is the largest city in the central Argentine province of Santa Fe. The city is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the west bank of the Paraná River. Rosario is the third-most populous city in the country, and is also the most po ...
,
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
. In lieu of rice or wheat noodles, shredded unripe
papaya
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...
fruit is used cooked with vinegar and fish. Usually partnered with
dinuguan
''Dinuguan'' () is a Filipino savory stew usually of pork offal (typically lungs, kidneys, intestines, ears, heart and snout) and/or meat simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili (most often ''siling haba''), and vine ...
, a dish made of pig's blood.
*''
Pancit kinalas'' –
Naga City, Camarines Sur
Naga, officially the City of Naga (Central Bikol: ''Siyudad nin Naga''; Rinconada Bikol: ''Syudad ka Naga''; fil, Lungsod ng Naga) or the Pilgrim City of Naga, is a 1st class independent component city in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. ...
's version of ''pancit'', in soup or dried form. It consists of noodles garnished by scraped meat from pork or beef's head and other parts, enhanced with a thick deep-brown sauce coming from the brains of a cow or pig. The dish is further flavored with spices (sili and pepper) and served in hot broth. Boiled egg added is optional.
*''
Pancit lanu'' – Found only along San Vicente Street in
San Pedro, Laguna
San Pedro, officially the City of San Pedro ( fil, Lungsod ng San Pedro), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 326,001 people.
It is named after its patron s ...
*''
Pancit lomi'' – Originally from
Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and ...
, ''pancit lomi'' is usually sold in eateries across the province. With the mobility of the Filipinos; however, other people got wind of pancit lomi and now different ''lomihán'' (eateries serving ''lomi''), ''panciterias'', and ''carinderias'' (eateries serving a wider variety of viands with rice) offer it.
*''
Pancit luglúg'' or ''Luglóg'' – a
Kapampangan version of ''pancit palabok'' that is essentially the same dishes. The only difference is that it uses thicker constarch noodles. The name comes from its traditional method of cooking, which uses a bamboo skimmer to submerge the noodles briefly in boiling water.
*''
Pancit lucban
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – a type found in
Lucban
Lucban, officially the Municipality of Lucban ( tgl, Bayan ng Lukban), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,091 people.
Lucban is dubbed as the Art Capital, ...
. The noodles are mixed in with generous toppings and ingredients.
*''
Pancit Malabon
''Pancit Malabon'' is a Filipino dish that is a type of pancit which originates from Malabon, Metro Manila, Philippines. It uses thick rice noodles. Its sauce has a yellow-orange hue, attributable to ''achuete'' (annatto seeds), shrimp broth, and ...
'' – Thick rice noodles with different toppings that originated in
Malabon
Malabon, officially the City of Malabon ( fil, Lungsod ng Malabon), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 380,522 people.
Located just nort ...
. Early versions of this dish uses
bamboo shoots
Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including ''Bambusa vulgaris'' and ''Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes and br ...
.
*''
Pancit mami'' – round egg noodle soup
*''
Pancit mayaman'' – found in
Guinayangan, Quezon
Guinayangan, officially the Municipality of Guinayangan ( tgl, Bayan ng Guinayangan), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,045 people.
Guinayangan came from ...
*''
Pancit miki
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – round egg noodles, or flat yellow noodles, or dusty white noodles either stir-fried or in soupy version.
*''
Pancit míki-bíhon guisado
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingr ...
'' – round egg noodles with
bihon, a hybrid type of stir-fried noodle.
*''
Pancit odong
Odong, also called pancit odong, is a Visayan noodle soup made with noodles, canned smoked sardines (''tinapa'') in tomato sauce, bottle gourd (), loofah (), chayote, ginger, garlic, red onions, and various other vegetables. It is garnish ...
'' or ''Odong'' -
Visayan
Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
noodle dish from
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of t ...
and the
Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands ( Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, i ...
that uses yellow round flour noodles called ''odong'', canned sardines in tomato sauce, and vegetables (usually
bottle gourd
Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvested young to be consumed ...
or
patola).
*''
Pancit Olongapo'' – ''pncit miki'' prepared with ''sarsa'' (sauce) made of thickened chicken and pork broth, darkened with a little soy sauce.
*''
Pancit moròng
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingr ...
''
*''
Pancit palabok
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingre ...
'' – uses thinner cornstarch noodles (sometimes substituted with ''
bihon''). It is topped with a shrimp-based sauce dyed bright orange with
annatto
Annatto ( or ) is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree ('' Bixa orellana''), native to tropical America. It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its f ...
seeds, shrimp, crushed or ground
chicharrón
(, , plural ; pt, torresmo ; fil, chicharon; ch, chachalon) is a dish generally consisting of fried pork belly or fried pork rinds. may also be made from chicken, mutton or beef.
Name
, as a dish with sauce, or as finger-food snacks, a ...
, ''
tinapa
Tinapa
''Tinapa'', a Filipino term, is fish cooked or preserved through the process of smoking. It is a native delicacy in the Philippines and is often made from blackfin scad (''Alepes melanoptera'', known locally as ''galunggong''), or from m ...
'' (smoked fish) flakes, hard-boiled eggs, and green onions.
*''Pancit pula'' – a variation of ''pancit miki'' from
Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City ...
*''
Pancit sotanghon'' – a
cellophane noodle soup with a
chicken broth
Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups, ...
base. It may include some kind of meat and vegetable. A typical ''
sotanghon'' is made with
calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, sliced straw mushrooms, slivered dark-meat chicken and
green onion
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chi ...
.
*''
Pansit sabaw'' – ''Pansit miki'' with soup
*''
Pansit Tuguegarao'' or ''Batil Patong'' – not commonly known outside of
Tuguegarao
Tuguegarao ( or ), officially the City of Tuguegarao ( ibg, Siyudad nat Tugegaraw; itv, Siyudad yo Tugegaraw; ilo, Siudad ti Tuguegarao; fil, Lungsod ng Tuguegarao ), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Cagayan, Phili ...
in the province of
Cagayan
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
in Northern
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, ...
, Philippines. It is an unusual noodle dish with a sauce based on soy and
"cara-beef" beef broth. It is served with two piquant side dishes: a cup of egg-drop soup made with the same
cara-beef broth; and a dish of chopped onions, vinegar, or
calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
,
chili peppers
Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus '' Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
and soy sauce. The noodles are usually wheat-based and are topped with ground
cara-beef, pork liver, mung bean sprouts, and poached egg from whence the name ''batil patong'', literally "scrambled and placed on top" is thought to be derived. Sometimes, other vegetables, crushed
pork-rind cracklings or chorizo are also added on top. The soup was served separately.
*''
Pansit sinanta'' – also from Tuguegarao, consists of flat egg noodles, ''bihon'', clams and chicken, with broth colored with
annatto
Annatto ( or ) is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree ('' Bixa orellana''), native to tropical America. It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its f ...
and served with pinakufu, a variant of dango.
*''
Pansit langlang'' – a historical noodle dish from Cavite which is said to be the favorite of
José Rizal
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national h ...
, to the point he mentioned the dish in his novel ''
El Filibusterismo''.
Gallery
File:Pancit Canton.jpg, "Saucy" ''pancit canton'', a common braised
Braising (from the French word ''braiser'') is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first browned at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot in cooking liquid (such as wine, broth, coco ...
version
File:Chicken sotanghon soup.jpg, Chicken ''sotanghon'' soup
File:Marison's Sotanghon Guisado.jpg, ''Sotanghon guisado'' with calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
File:Pansit Habhab.jpg, ''Pancit habhab''
File:Pancit lomi.jpg, '' Pancit lomi''
File:Pancit Molo.jpg, ''Pancit Molo
Pancit Molo or Filipino pork dumpling soup is a type of soup using wonton wrappers which originated from Molo district in Iloilo City. It consists of a mixture of ground pork wrapped in molo or wonton wrapper, shredded chicken meat, and also s ...
'', which uses wonton
A wonton () is a type of Chinese dumpling commonly found across regional styles of Chinese cuisine. It is also spelled wantan or wuntun in transliteration from Cantonese () and wenden from Shanghainese (). There are many different styles o ...
s instead of noodles
File:Beef pares mami (Philippines).jpg, Beef ''pares'' ''mami
Mami may refer to:
People
*Cheb Mami, Algerian raï singer
*Mami (given name), a Japanese feminine given name
*Mami (goddess), a goddess in the Babylonian epic ''Atra-Hasis''
*Mami Wata, a pantheon of ancient water spirits or deities Entertainment ...
''
File:Pancit with squid.JPG, ''Pancit choca
''Pancit choca'' is a Filipino black seafood noodle dish made with squid ink and ''bihon'' (rice vermicelli). It originates from Cavite, Philippines, and is originally known as ''pancit choca en su tinta'' in Caviteño Chavacano. It is also kn ...
''
Other variants
Other variants of pancit do not usually use noodles. They include:
*''
Pancit buko
''Pancit buko'' (Tagalog "young coconut noodles"; also known as ''pancit butong'' in Visayan), is a Filipino dish made from very thin strips of young coconut (''buko'') meat with various spices, vegetables, and meat or seafood. It is a type of ...
'' – uniquely uses long coconut strips, instead of noodles.
*''
Pancit estacion
Pancit Estacion is a type of pancit, or stir-fried rice noodle dish, which originated in Tanza, Cavite, Philippines. Its main ingredient is mung bean sprouts (used as a substitute for rice noodles). Its sauce includes corn starch, atsuete, ...
'' – from
Tanza
Tanza, officially the Municipality of Tanza ( tgl, Bayan ng Tanza), formerly known as Santa Cruz de Malabón, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 312,116 peopl ...
,
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
, uses
mung bean sprouts
Mung bean sprouts are a culinary vegetable grown by sprouting mung beans. They can be grown by placing and watering the sprouted beans in the shade until the hypocotyls grow long. Mung bean sprouts are extensively cultivated and consumed in Ea ...
instead of noodles.
*''
Pancit labong'' – An early version of ''Pancit Malabon'' that uses julienned
bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including ''Bambusa vulgaris'' and ''Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes and b ...
s instead of noodles.
*''
Pancit Molo
Pancit Molo or Filipino pork dumpling soup is a type of soup using wonton wrappers which originated from Molo district in Iloilo City. It consists of a mixture of ground pork wrapped in molo or wonton wrapper, shredded chicken meat, and also s ...
'' –
wonton soup
A wonton () is a type of Chinese dumpling commonly found across regional styles of Chinese cuisine. It is also spelled wantan or wuntun in transliteration from Cantonese () and wenden from Shanghainese (). There are many different styles of ...
with wonton wrappers added to the broth, serving as its "noodles".
*''
Pancit papaya
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ing ...
'' – uses julienned young
papaya
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus '' Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...
strips, instead of noodles.
*
Seaweed pancit – a noodle variant from
Tiwi, Albay
Tiwi, officially the Municipality of Tiwi ( bcl, Banwaan kan Tiwi; tl, Bayan ng Tiwi) is a 1st class municipality in the Province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 56,444 people.
Etymology
Friars called ...
which uses
seaweed
Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of ''Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ke ...
. It is rich in
calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...
and
magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ...
and the seaweed noodles can be cooked into ''pancit canton'', ''pancit luglug'',
spaghetti
Spaghetti () is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta.[spaghetti](_blank)
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabrid ...
, or
carbonara
Carbonara () is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork and black pepper. The dish arrived at its modern form, with its current name, in the middle of the 20th century.
The cheese is usually Pecorino Romano, ...
.
Instant pancit
Commercial
instant noodle
Instant noodles, or instant ramen, is a type of food consisting of noodles sold in a precooked and dried block with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil. The dried noodle block was originally created by flash frying cooked noodles, and this is ...
versions of pancit are also available. They are popular due to their affordability. The most common flavors are ''
mami
Mami may refer to:
People
*Cheb Mami, Algerian raï singer
*Mami (given name), a Japanese feminine given name
*Mami (goddess), a goddess in the Babylonian epic ''Atra-Hasis''
*Mami Wata, a pantheon of ancient water spirits or deities Entertainment ...
'' and ''pancit canton'', but other Filipino-style noodles are also being adapted for the Philippine market.
See also
*
Filipino cuisine
Filipino cuisine ( fil, lutong Pilipino/pagkaing Pilipino) is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose F ...
**
Filipino Chinese cuisine
Filipino Chinese cuisine is a style of Filipino cuisine influenced from Chinese cuisine.
History
Filipino cuisine is influenced principally by China and Spain have been integrated with pre-colonial indigenous Filipino cooking practices.
In ...
*
List of noodles
This is a list of notable noodles. Noodles are a type of staple food made from some type of unleavened dough which is rolled flat and cut into long strips or strings. Noodles are usually cooked in boiling water, sometimes with cooking oil or ...
**
List of noodle dishes
This is a list of notable noodle dishes. Noodles are a type of staple food made from some type of unleavened dough which is rolled flat and cut into one of a variety of shapes. While long, thin strips may be the most common, many varieties of ...
**
Noodle soups
Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, In ...
References
External links
PCIJ report on PancitDifferent Types of Filipino Pancit Recipes
{{Noodle
Chinese fusion cuisine
Philippine fusion cuisine
Fried noodles
Philippine noodles
Guamanian cuisine