Honolulu is a virtual smorgasbord of Asian food. In fact, a favorite grocery store, Don Quijote (near Waikiki), features what they refer to as a plate lunch counter and there are no less than six different types of Asian dishes every day including Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Hawaiian. One of the best dishes at the plate lunch counter is their version of Pancit Bihon, a popular Filipino noodle dish. Research shows that while there are dozens of similar dishes, i.e., Pancit Canton, Pancit Pabalok, and Pancit Malabon to name a few, Pancit Bihon is considered the national dish of the Philippines, and of course, every Filipino family has a favorite recipe which they consider the best. Pancit literally means “noodles,” and Bihon, Canton, etc. defines the type of noodles. However, over the years, the names have come to mean specific dishes rather than just noodles.

Pancit Bihon is the most well-known of the Pancit dishes, and is quick and easy to make. The following version calls for shredded pork from the Basic Pork Module as a timesaver, as well as coleslaw mix to eliminate the need to shred cabbage and chop carrots. While the onions are very quick to chop, they can be purchased already chopped either in the frozen vegetable department or in the produce department of most grocery stores. In the unfortunate event that you don’t have packages of shredded pork in your freezer, feel free to substitute chicken, seafood, or pork chops (just chop and add with the broth) or a mixture of several. Bihon (rice vermicelli or rice sticks) are usually available on the Oriental foods aisle in regular grocery stores, but are always available in Oriental markets. Calamansi is a fruit indigenous to the Philippines that looks like a lime on the outside, and looks like an orange on the inside. While it isn’t possible to duplicate the taste exactly if you can’t find Calamansi in your area, a viable (and equally tasty) substitute is a lemon or lime.

12 Servings

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
14 - 16 ounces coleslaw mix (with carrots)

2 cups water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon pork bouillon, or substitute chicken, beef, or vegetable
2 cups shredded pork from the Basic Pork Module

1 pound bihon (also called rice vermicelli or rice sticks), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained well

1 bunch green onions including tops, chopped, or 3/4 cup snipped chives
1 calamansi, or substitute a lime or lemon

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onions and garlic.
3. Stir-fry until the onions are translucent.
4. Stir in the coleslaw mix and let cook until limp.
5. Mix the water, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and bouillon; add to the onion mixture and bring to a boil.
6. Stir in the pork.
7. Add the noodles and let cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring as little as possible.
8. Stir in the green onions; squeeze the calamansi over all (or lime or lemon).
9. Serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 86
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 29% Protein 20% Carb. 51%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 28 mg
Sodium 1011 mg
Total Carbohydrate 37 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 15 g

Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 36% Calcium 0% Iron 8%