CEBU, Philippines – Pancit has definitely become a Filipino dish. It is so popular in the country, common both in celebratory feasts and in everyday meals. And there has since been a local superstition about it - that the dish extends the life of those that partake of it and of the one in whose honor or behalf the dish is prepared, particularly a birthday celebrant.
Noodles are said to have been introduced into the Philippines by Chinese travelers of old, and have since been adopted into the local cuisine. The term 'pancit' is supposedly derived from the Chinese 'biàn shí' which means, in English, 'convenient food'. Today, Filipino supermarkets carry different kinds of noodles to be made into pancit. The dish is a standard fare in local restaurants, especially those specializing in noodles - the 'panciterias'.
While "Long Life Pancit" is quite common, there's pancit I've discovered lately that is really good. It's "Good Life Pancit," called so because it uses Good Life Egg Noodles. It is good for celebrations because it is more economical: a 200-gram pack yields one kilo when cooked properly. Plus, it is steam-cooked, making it the healthier noodle choice.
The recipe for "Good Life Pancit" is as follows:
Ingredients
400g Good Life Egg Noodles, cooked according to package instructions
1pc Chicken breast, cooked and shredded
3 cups Chicken broth from chicken breast
100g Pork, sliced into small pieces
100g Shrimps, shelled and deveined
¼ kilo Snow peas
2 cups Cabbage, sliced into strips
1pc Carrot, sliced into strips
1 cup Celery/Cilantro, sliced
100g Jolly Whole Mushroom, sliced
4 tbsp Soy Sauce
3 tbsp Good Life Oyster Sauce
4 tbsp Jolly Claro Palm Oil
1pc Medium-sized onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
Calamansi
Salt and pepper to taste
Good Life Sesame Oil
Procedure
1. Cook Good Life Noodles according to package instructions. Set aside.
2. Saute the garlic and onions.
3. Add the pork and liver, then cook until meat turns brown.
4. Add soy sauce and 2 cups of chicken broth. Simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Add shredded chicken breast, kikiam, shrimps, Jolly Mushrooms, tofu, snow peas, cabbage, celery, carrots, Good Life Oyster sauce, salt and pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked.
6. Then, add Good Life Egg Noodles, simmer until liquid has been absorbed by the noodles.
7. Drizzle some Good Life Sesame Oil and top with spring onions.
This recipe serves 12 to16 persons.
Even if the "long life" myth about pancit is put aside, this one still gives "good life" - it tastes so good, and it's healthy.