Pancit Canton (Filipino Stir-Fried Noodles)
Stir-fried noodles for long life — a birthday and fiesta staple
Pancit canton is the noodle dish served at nearly every Filipino birthday, because long noodles symbolize long life. Flour-and-egg canton noodles are stir-fried with a mix of meat, seafood, and vegetables, then finished with a squeeze of calamansi. It is endlessly flexible — use whatever proteins and vegetables you have.
Ingredients
- 250 g pancit canton (flour) noodles
- 200 g pork, thinly sliced
- 1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 100 g shrimp, peeled
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 cup snap peas or snow peas
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Calamansi or lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- In a wide pan or wok, sauté the garlic and onion, then add the pork and chicken and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the shrimp and cook briefly, then pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the carrot, snap peas, and cabbage and cook just until crisp-tender. Scoop out about half the vegetables and set aside so they stay bright.
- Add the canton noodles to the simmering broth and toss continuously until they absorb the liquid and soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Return the reserved vegetables, toss to combine, and serve hot with calamansi on the side.
Cook's tip: The noodles should drink up almost all the broth — add it a little at a time so they soften without turning soggy. A final squeeze of calamansi right before eating lifts the whole plate.
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