Nasugbus Pancit Balita.. Pancit is as crucial to each Filipino feast as rice is to every complete Filipino meal. Yet while preparing (and consuming) big cauldrons of pancit is second nature to any true-blue Pinoy, the origins of this iconic party food are not exactly confined to a specific region (or to our country, for that matter). History: Pancit or pansit is the term for noodles in Filipino cuisine. Noodles were introduced into the Philippines by the Chinese and have since been adopted into local cuisine. The term pancit is derived from the Hokkien “pian i sit” (Chinese: Pe̍h-ōe-jī: piān-ê-si̍t orChinese: 便食; pinyin: biàn shí) which literally means convenient food. Different kinds of noodles can be found in Filipino supermarkets which can then be cooked at home. Noodle dishes are also standard fare in local restaurants. Food establishments specializing in noodles are often referred to as panciterias. According to food lore handed down from the Chinese, noodles should be eaten on ones birthday. They are therefore commonly served at birthday celebrations and Chinese restaurants in the Philippines often have birthday noodles listed on their menus. But since noodles represent long life and good health; they must not be cut short so as not to corrupt the symbolism. Variations: The two main variations of this noodle dish found on most dining table are ‘pancit canton’ and ‘pancit bihon’. In the past, pancit canton was the more common of the two. The difference between the dishes is the type of noodle used. Pancit bihon includes a thin translucent rice noodle while pancit canton incorporates an egg noodle, similar in appearance to the familiar spaghetti noodle. The meat and vegetables are consistent in both versions: chicken, pork or shrimp (or a combination of the three), cabbage, bell peppers, celery, carrots, onions, and garlic. Nowadays, pancit is a fixture at many significant milestones such as weddings, baptisms, graduations, and most especially during birthdays, where their inherently Chinese symbolism as edible harbingers of a long life are frequently invoked. It continues to be enjoyed by generations of Filipinos in various forms, with sotanghon, bihon, canton, or miki as the most commonly used and consumed noodle variants. Pancit also goes by a lot of names, each one indicating either the dish’s color (pancit puti or white pancit), how it is eaten (pancit habhab), where it is sold (pancit istasyon), alleged inventor (pancit Henoy), or its place of origin (pancit Malabon). Nasugbu’s ‘Pancit Balita’.. Only in Nasugbu will you find the best tasting pancit wrapped for take-out in the local newspaper. For over six decades now (they started in the early 50s) ‘Pancit Balita’ simply dominates all other similar business establishments when it comes to ‘pancit’. Their pancit - all versions - Miki Bihon Guisado, Pancit Canton- are all cooked the way our grandparents cooked pancit. It had just the right amount of spice, and the seasoning and condiments they used for the dish really bring out the full potentials of their pancit. Their pancit doesnt look fancy or loaded with veggies and meat... but looks are deceiving, it really is scrumptious! Pancit Balita is at Mulingbayan St in Nasugbu, very near the Nasugbu Public Market. (wikipedia guampedia pepper.ph pancitbalita) (images: Rahadel Destreza & google)
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 20:11:41 +0000
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