Learn to make Pancit Canton through this easy recipe. These Filipino Noodles with Pork and Shrimp are simply to die for!!
Filipino noodles with pork and shrimp aka Pancit Canton are very hot in our house right now. It seems that children simply don’t get tired of these moorish, salty noodles with crunchy vegetables and neither do we.
I must admit I am slightly surprised. I thought they’d be popular but this undying love is new to my children’s behaviour. Even Vika, who usually gets bored half way through her meal, polishes off her plate when these noodles are for lunch or dinner.
Why you should make Filipino Pancit Canton
And this, my friends, is very good news because Filipino noodles are quick, made with everyday ingredients that are mostly likely already in your fridge and pantry, and they are FULL of good stuff! They are also pretty economical!
What is Filipino food like?
It seems like simple and inexpensive are the words to describe Filipino cuisine, or at least the part I am familiar with.
For Asian food, Filipino food stands out for its short ingredient list and the lack of obscure items. Salty and sour taste is what characterises it and it is very easy to recreate at home.
It is NOT eaten with chopsticks as in many Asian countries but with a fork and a spoon. Yes, I meant to say a spoon and not a knife. 🙂
After I posted the recipe for Chicken Adobo, it became pretty clear that you, my friends, LOVED it and wanted more of similar recipes. So today I come to you with another family favourite and an incredibly popular dish in the Philippines-Pancit Canton.
Pancit simply means “noodles” in the Philippines and Canton-“Chinese”. A large portion of the Filipino cuisine is influenced by the Chinese, but after centuries of cooking it, they made it their own and Pancit Canton is a good example of it.
You might wonder how I know all these things…well I spent a year in the Philippines in my early twenties and to this day the country remains pretty special to me.
What is Pancit Canton?
So let’s talk about this crazy delicious yet simple dish. Pancit Canton is pretty special to the Filipinos and is often made for birthday celebrations.
It can be made with pork or chicken, with or without shrimp, with egg noodles or cellophane noodles (the clear kind, and my personal favourite).
But what remains constant is soy sauce soaked noodles with a tri-veg combination. Carrots, string beans and cabbage.
In my recipe I used runner beans, which I sliced thinly but feel free to use regular green beans or string beans if you can find them in Asian markets.
How to make Filipino noodles with pork and shrimp
The recipe I am sharing today is my slight adaptation of a recipe that my friend, who also spent that year in the Philippines, shared with me. I changed the cooking method slightly, which I think simplified the recipe. I also added a drop of sesame oil to the dish.
I’ve never seen it being used by home cooks but I could always smell it from street stands and in restaurants, so I am assuming it’s still authentic and if not, I am not apologising because it makes it more fragrant and delicious.
My version of Filipino noodles with pork and shrimp takes 30 minutes to make and feeds 4 but could be doubled or tripled if you have a big enough pan!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 200 g/7 oz pork loin sliced thinly
- 100 g/1 cup of each carrot green beans and cabbage, sliced thinly
- 3 tbsp +1 tbsp soy sauce
- 125 g/ 4 oz shrimp
- 250 g/8 oz egg noodles
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lime quartered (optional)
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- In a deep pan or a wok heat vegetable oil over medium heat, then add onion, garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add pork, a pinch of salt and stir fry until pork is cooked for about 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, green beans and cabbage, soy sauce and shrimp, stir to combine and cook on medium-high heat for 7 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp.
- While your vegetables are cooking, prepare the noodles according to package directions. They take 4 minutes on average.
- Drain the noodles and add to the pan, toss everything together, taste and add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of sesame oil, sprinkle with sliced green onion.
- Serve with lime quarters.
Jessie Torralba says
For added flavor, try adding 1 pc chorizo de bilbao (smoke-dried sausage) sliced thinly just like the pork or chicken and squid also thinly sliced. Thats how most of us in the philippines cook it, specially if its for a special celebration. I want to try putting that sesame oil.
Tammy says
Hi! what kind of noodles are used in the pictures? The only egg noodles I can find are the wide, short kind. Thank you!
vikalinka says
They are the same noodles that are used for Chow Mein, usually found in the Asian section of any supermarket, Tammy.
Inga says
I made this the first time with bacon (baked separately in the oven to crunchiness), the dish was a little dry Ray. Made it a second time with pork and it turned out delicious! There was enough sauce this time! The next day these noodles were even tastier.
vikalinka says
Sounds delicious, Inga! It never occured to me to make it with bacon but I am sure the flavour was great. In the Philippines they use pork and also chicken. I use them interchangeably.
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
I can’t wait to make this with my boys! They love noodle dishes of all kinds.
vikalinka says
Mine do too and Pancit is so special! It’s funny but I love it more now than when I lived in the Philippines!!
mary a williams says
I am going to try this and i’ll let you know
vikalinka says
Great Mary!