Quick and Easy Pansit

• 1 large bowl
• 1 large pot
• 1 wok
• Mandoline Slicer (Optional)

• 2 cubes Virmecili Noodles (dried)
• 2 cups shredded Chicken (Or thin beef, pork, bacon slices...tofu or just veggies also work well)
• 1 cup Carrots
• 1 cup Celery
• 4 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Far East seasoning
• 3 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 cup Onions
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• Chicken/vegetable stock or bouillon cube
• 1/3 cup Oil (vegetable, olive, canola, coconut, etc.)
• 1/3 cup Sesame Oil

I discovered Pansit later than I would have liked, but I'm so glad I finally did. Growing up in Los Angeles, I managed to live a life void of Filipino cuisine until college when I met and developed my first friendships with people from the Philipines or of Filipino descent. I know I missed out on so much! Anyway, I finally opened up my sheltered life and was happily ushered into a new world of Filipino culture and cuisine. My first introduction was lumpia, followed closely by chicken adobo, and by this time, I was hooked. Then came Pansit, and at that point, I decided I must learn to make some Filipino dishes for myself. My first choice of meals to conquer was Pansit. Many of my friends and their family members assured me that Pansit would be quick and easy, and they were right. Not only is Pansit quick and easy, but it is also versatile. Many different vegetables and many different meat combinations work with this recipe. In this article, I am going to share my go-to version of this signature dish.

Start with the chicken. Fill a large pot with water, add chicken, and bouillon cube and bring to a boil. Let pot boil until chicken pulls apart easily. While your chicken is boiling, begin to prepare vegetables. Slice celery and carrots thinly. I like to use a mandolin on the small julienne setting. Add 1/3 cup oil to your wok and heat on medium. Once the oil is hot, add onions, carrots, celery, and a couple of cups of water from the chicken pot and slowly simmer until vegetables are soft. Add more water from your chicken pot as needed.

Note: Boiling chicken is one suggestion for meat, and it works best for chicken. For all other meats: brown with onions and oil in the wok, remove meat and onions once fully cooked, then prepare your vegetables.

Once you have your meat cooking and your vegetables are boiling, begin soaking your vermicelli noodles in a large bowl of water. You don't need to do anything else, just let them soak until you are ready for them. But do make sure your noodles sit in water for at least 15 minutes.

Once the vegetables are soft, begin to add seasonings. Add Far East blend seasoning, onion powder, and minced garlic. Stir well, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for five minutes.

Drain your noodles and cut to the desired length and add noodles to the wok, then stir well. Add soy sauce and mix well. You can add more or less soy sauce, it really is a matter of taste, but I suggest taking it slow. Soy sauce is very salty, and once it's in, you can't get it out, so take it slow.

The recipe is surprisingly simple. Once I learned how easy it would be to replicate one of my favorite dishes, I was quick to experiment with it, and it has never let me down. It is great as leftovers for lunch at work and at the dinner table the next evening. I have taken this dish several potlucks at work, the bowling alley, and other social events, and I never get to bring any home. What is also great is its versatility as chicken can be substituted for tofu, beef, shredded pork, and BACON!! Other optional ingredients include shredded cabbage, snap peas, green beans, and bean sprouts.