it's not as good as lola's...

when my mom is in town visiting she will cook the filipino dishes that all of her eight grandchildren love.  mine and my sister's version of filipino cooking just doesn't compare to lola's!  tonight she made  sinigang a soup or stew known for it's sour flavor and she also made a noodle dish which is called pancit.  pancit is a quick cooked noodle dish that is one of the quintessential meals of filipino cuisine.  there are many different kinds of pancit and you will find pancit at most, if not all, at every filipino family gathering.  the most comon variety is pancit bihon, with rice vermicelli noodles mixed with meat and veggies.

below is a similiar recipe that i found on the internet because when you ask any filipino mom for a recipe there's never any measurements.  "oh, just a little of this and some of that" is what my mom and tita's (aunties) always tell me.

4 to 6 servings-

rice sticks/vermicelli noodles 1 (8 ounce) package

oil-- 3 tbsp
onion, sliced thinly 1 
garlic, minced 2-3 cloves
cabbage, chopped 1/4 to 1/2 head
carrots, grated or julienne 2 ea
chicken breast, sliced/shredded 1 pound
chicken broth, 2 cups
salt and pepper to taste
lemons or kalaminsi limes, cut into wedges


1.  add the noodles to a large bowl and pour hot water over them to cover.  let soak for about 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2.  heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame.  add the onions and garlic and stir fry until the onions just begin to turn translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.  add the cabbage and carrots and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.  finally add the chicken breast and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
3.  pour in the broth, soy sauce, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low.  simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4.  remove the wok or pot from heat and add the soaked rice noodels.  toss the noodles with the ingredients to coat them with sauce and adjust seasoning.  serve in bowls with lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over the top.


that's it!  pretty easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!  i've made it a few times before but i have to admit hands down as the grandkids say "it's not as good as lola's!" and it will never be.  

bon appetit!

p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway in yesterday's post here!

day 177 flickr project365