No, we are not talking about the Pancit Canton conveniently made in packages with a sauce and seasonings you can buy in stores, groceries, and supermarkets. We’re talking about the big guns, the festive Pancit Canton loaded with a jambalaya of ingredients, which you can always see every time there are fiestas going on.
If you love one of these and you’re ready to make one, there is no doubt that you’re every bit of Filipino!
In this recipe article, we are going to help you get ready for a special occasion as you are about to learn how to make the delicious pancit canton!
You don’t have to fret anymore as this is a foolproof way to the stomachs of the people around you. Or, even if you don’t have any occasions going on, maybe you can still find time to make one. It’s definitely good all year round!
What is Pancit Canton?
Pancit canton are usually made of wheat noodles (or in this case, egg noodles) blended with a flavorful soy sauce, partnered with tons of different ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables. You basically have the whole food group in one dish. What more could you ask for?
It is believed that the long and thick noodles represent a longer life–that is why the pancit noodles are so popular especially to the Chinese people, and are usually eaten whenever there are celebrations.
Pancit was initially introduced to us by the Chinese settler in the earlier days, and has long been adapted by the Filipinos, making it into many different versions. The term pancit literally means “convenient food” in a Chinese dialect, so it is very fitting since these noodles can be very versatile and be partnered with different kinds of ingredients. Who knows, maybe you get to invent one variation someday.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Noodles
In this recipe, we will be using dried pancit canton or egg noodles available in the market and grocery stores. If you want to learn more about pancit, see this article: Pancit Canton Vs Pancit Bihon.
Meats
We will also use a couple of meat to cook in this dish and I suggest that you try to complete them for the best flavors. Here are what you’ll need: pork, liver, Chinese sausage or chorizo, and shrimp.
Aside from this, you will also use common pantry ingredients like onion, garlic, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Other Ingredients for Pancit Canton
- This recipe recommends the use of snow peas as part of the vegetable ingredients here, but as an alternative you can also use the snap peas.
- If you want the meat to be less fatty, you can also use chicken as the main ingredient.
- The use of oyster sauce adds more flavor to the recipe, but it is just an optional ingredient in case you don’t have it available.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Cooking Pan (Kawali)– This is a one-pan dish and you will need a very large pan or kawali or wok to cook everything together.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Make Pancit Canton
The process itself when making pancit canton is pretty much the basic things you do when cooking. But it can be pretty gruelling since it involves a lot of ingredients. So make sure you have time and mentally prepared when making this wonderful dish!
To avoid any confusion, think of the processes you need to do in chunks: First, cook the meats and seafood, then the vegetables, the sauce, and then the noodles. After that you’re just going to mix them all together.
When cooking the meats, it is recommended to cut them as equal as possible so they can be evenly cooked in the pan. Cutting it in smaller sizes is also good as the insides will be cooked easily and the whole dish will be more flavorful in every bite.
When cooking the vegetables, try to remember that your goal is only to half cook them at first. This is because it will still be cooked once you mix all the ingredients, and vegetables can be easily overcooked. Overcooked results will result in them being soggy, and it will give a quite unpleasant feel when eating the pancit canton.
Cooking Tips
- When adding in the pancit canton noodles into the pan, gently press down the pancit canton noodles into the liquids for it to absorb more flavor.
- You can also add in a thickener such as rice flour or cornstarch if you want a thicker sauce for the noodles.
How to Serve Pancit Canton
Pancit canton is best paired with other celebratory food like the rice cake puto, Lumpiang Shanghai, pork barbecue, and of course, your favorite cola soda. But in case you are having this for snacks, it usually paired with sandwiches like Clubhouse sandwich, tuna sandwich, or even with siopao.
How to Store and Reheat Pancit Canton
In case you have leftovers, store the pancit canton in clean food containers with lid. Refrigerate in to extend their shelf life for up to 3 days. To reheat the pancit, you can either use a microwave oven or in a pan over a stovetop.
Pancit Canton Versions
The pancit canton itself is a versatile dish and can have a lot of different main ingredients with it depending on how you want it. Some of these examples are:
- Vegetarian Pancit Canton
- Shrimp Pancit Canton
- Chicken Pancit Canton
- Seafood Pancit Canton
- Sauce-heavy Pancit Canton
Other Pancit Recipes
Pancit Canton is one of the many versions on how to have your pancit. Different places all around the archipelago present us with other versions of popular pancit dishes. Some of these are:
- Pancit Palabok
- Pancit Lusay
- Pancit Sotanghon
- Pancit Bihon
- Pancit Malabon
- Pancit Habhab
- Pancit Lomi
- Pancit Molo
- Pancit Luglug
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Authentic Pancit Canton Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 250 g (8.8 oz) pancit canton noodles, (fresh egg noodles)
- 300 g (10 oz) pork belly and liver, cut into small cubes / thin strips
- 1 pc Chinese sausage, sliced (optional)
- 6-8 pcs shrimp, shell removed
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 pc onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pc carrot, cut into thin strips
- 1 pc bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 pc small cabbage, shredded
- 8-10 pcs snow peas
- 5 pcs Baguio beans or green beans, optional
- ½ cup coriander (Chinese parsley), chopped
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce, optional
- water, as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a wok or a large cooking pan, pour-in and heat oil in medium heat.
- Add-in the minced garlic and chopped onions. Saute until soft and aromatic.
- Add-in the pork thin strips, and sliced sausages. Cook in low heat until done, then add-in the shrimps. Cook until half-done. Set aside.
- Using the same cooking pan, add-in carrot strips, bell peppers strips, shredded cabbage, and baguio beans. Cook in medium heat for 40 to 60 seconds or until half-done. Set aside.
- In the same cooking pan, apply medium to high heat and then pour-in the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and add-in pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Add-in the pancit canton noodles. Add more chicken broth if necessary. If you run out of broth, water can also be used as needed. Stir from time to time until almost cooked.
- Add-in back the meat and vegetables. Mix until well-incorporated.
- Stir-in the coriander. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Transfer to a serving plate or serving tray. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Pin and save this recipe to your Pinterest account! Click on the Pin button above 🙂
Thank you and I hope you find this article useful! It’ll mean a lot if you RATE THE RECIPE by clicking the stars and SHARE THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS! 🙂
