Name: Pancit Bihon (Filipino Rice Noodles)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/2 pound boneless pork belly or pork shoulder, whole slab; 3 cups water, for boiling the pork; 1 pinch salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 8 ounces dried pancit bihon noodles; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped; 1 large stalk celery, chopped; 2 green onions, chopped, white and green parts divided; 1 tablespoon patis (fish sauce); 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned; 2 cups green beans, edges trimmed, sliced into 1-inch pieces; 3 cups shredded green cabbage; 1 1/2 cups broth, from cooking the pork; 2 tablespoons toyo (soy sauce); 1 tablespoon calamansi juice (or lemon juice); 1 pinch salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/4 cup patis ( fish sauce ); 1 tablespoon calamansi juice (or lemon juice)

1 Using a sharp knife, trim off and discard any excess fat from the pork. In a medium-sized stockpot, combine the pork with about 3 cups of water, or enough to cover the meat. Sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until tender, about 45 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pork broth for the stir-fry. When the meat is fork-tender, remove from the liquid and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 to 15 minutes to cool. Slice the pork into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.

2 Place the dry noodles in a large bowl. Pour some water into a small bowl, and use your fingers to sprinkle water over the noodles until they become damp. Continue sprinkling water until the noodles get soft and pliable but not mushy. Set aside.

3 Place a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, celery, and the white parts of the green onion and stir fry until soft and fragrant, for about 2 minutes. Add the patis (fish sauce). Add the carrot and green beans and stir fry until beginning to soften. Add the shredded cabbage and toss well.

4 Add the sliced, cooked pork to the mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth, the toyo (soy sauce), and calamansi juice. Stir to mix. Add the damp bihon noodles. Combine the noodles and the rest of the ingredients well. Cover the pan with a lid. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the noodles soften and blend well with the ingredients. The white noodles will become translucent as they cook and the broth will coat the noodles and give them a light brown hue. The broth eventually gets absorbed by the noodles the longer it simmers and should result in a dry pancit noodle dish. This will take 8 to 10 minutes total.

5 Sprinkle salt and pepper all over, to taste. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions. Serve warm with a dipping sauce of patis mixed with calamansi juice. Pancit bihon is best when served soon after it is cooked. If there are any leftovers, store pancit in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a day. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. It is not advisable to freeze pancit bihon because the noodles will get watery and the vegetables wilt. Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!