On Our Menu - Vegetable Pancit Bihon

in ,

This is an accompanying post to a video on my channel linked below. (Available May 19, 2020 12pm Pacific.)

I loathe big stories before the ingredients list when I am looking up a recipe. So, I’m going to give you the details right up front.

Basic recipe ingredients:

  • 1 8ounce package of Excellent Brand Rice Stick (We used 2 packages in this video.)

  • 2 carrots julienned

  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced

  • 4 cloves of garlic (at minimum) chopped (We used 8 cloves.)

  • 2 stalks of celery sliced

  • 1 cup of snow peas sliced

  • 2-3 cups of cabbage or bok choy sliced (We used bok choy.)

  • 2+ tablespoons of soy sauce (to taste)

  • 1 tablespoon of Filipino fish sauce (optional)

  • 1 small lemon sliced and seeded

  • Ground black pepper to taste

  • A neutral oil like canola for the pan.

  • Water if needed. (Traditionally, chicken stock is used.)

  • Optional but traditional (chicken, pork and shrimp) small bite sized pieces cooked after the onions and garlic. Or as Jina says in the video use leftover meat.

Basically follow the steps in the video and you’re good. This a very tasty easy side dish or meal to make.

Substitutions:

  • If you cannot find the Excellent Brand of Noodles at the store or on Amazon like I can. Maifun rice stick noodles also can work.

  • Tamari. I get asked this a lot from my gluten free friends. Yes, you can substitute tamari for soy sauce.

  • Also, as stated in the video I cannot confirm whether or not if the noodles I used are gluten free or not so I will leave that up to you to discover.

“A person I know makes it differently.”

Ahh yes, that is one of the greatest joys in life isn’t it? We all add our own personal touches to dishes that make it ours. I personally have never tasted to lasagnas that are the same.

This is a tried and true version for us that I learned to make from my mom and stepmothers. (All of my stepmothers were Filipino too.)

Are you sure you’re Filipino? You don’t look like it. Also, should you be making a Filipino dish if you’re only “half”.

I have laughed in someone’s face when I was asked am I sure that I am Filipino. If you knew my mom, you’d know she’s undoubtedly my mother. I just happen to look like the other parent that created me.

I am proudly Filipino with a sprinkling of another Asian heritage. My children (who are a quarter Filipino with darker skin than I have) and I are white passing. Genetics are wild like that. However, as many biracial people will attest, we are whole people with blended heritages. This is my cultural experience and I get to claim it. Just like I get to claim my German heritage from my dad.

Left - Thea’s Mom. Right - Thea’s Lola (Grandma) 1970s.

Left - Thea’s Mom. Right - Thea’s Lola (Grandma) 1970s.

I did not have the “typical” white American childhood. My mom suffered from culture shock when she came to America and I witnessed a lot of that. I also went to school with “smelly” lunches and other “typical” “my mom is from another country and speaks another language” stuff.

My children have a Lola (tagalog for grandma) and got to experience very Filipino things too.

Like with many cultures, I, and now my adult children get to express their appreciation for our heritage through the dishes we make. Sharing a meal with your people, friends or family is the best way to show fellowship for a lack of a better term. If you’ve ever met a Filipino, you’d know there’s nothing more that we like to do. Share a meal, sing, dance and have togetherness. I am proud to share this little of togetherness with you.

Mabuhay.

Thea