Pancit Bihon with Beef and Vegetables

It’s the birthday of my son, Tim and we’re celebrating it today. It was also a good reason to share this Pancit Bihon with Beef and Vegetables recipe with you. A few years ago, Tim cooked pancit bihon- dry rice noodles stir fried with beef brisket slices for my birthday. It was unusual for us to have bihon with beef – the Filipino classic noodle dish often has pork, chicken or shrimps or all of these combined.

I took the cue from Tim’s past recipe and made my version today. To those unfamiliar with Philippine cooking, this pancit noodle entrée is one of the easiest dishes to cook All you need to know is how to stir-fry. That’s also why pancit bihon is a favorite of my blog readers and is the most searched. What’s not to love in pancit?

I used  pancit bihon dry rice noodles and loaded up the dish with sweet, savory flavors for all to enjoy. It had everything we loved in it. There were tender beef strips, sliced carrots and green beans,  crisp cabbage slivers, silky pancit noodles, the scent of scallions, fish sauce, soy sauce and kalamansi juice all over. I simply stir-fried and blended everything swiftly and easily.

Most Filipinos traditionally  celebrate birthdays with pancit in honor of the celebrant. We do it to celebrate and toast to a long life – the noodles symbolizing prosperity and yes, a long, healthy life.This pancit bihon dish will be the centerpiece of our dinner as we celebrate. So, I’m going to call the family to the table now to come partake of the pancit while it’s hot and steaming. Try this recipe for your family and celebrate with us, as you twirl those soft, slinky noodles with relish.

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5 from 1 vote

Pancit Bihon with Beef and Vegetables

Pancit Bihon with Beef and Vegetables is a classic Filipino noodle dish which has dried rice noodles mixed in a stir-fry of beef and vegetables. Seasonings are sweet and savory from a blend of patis (fish sauce), toyo (soy sauce) and kalamansi juice (the Filipino lime). This bihon dish is often served at birthdays, holidays, town fiestas, parties, large gatherings or family meals. This is an Asian in America recipe. Serves 4 to 6.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Merienda, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Asian, Chinese, Filipino

Keyword: Filipino Pancit Bihon Noodles Beef Vegetables

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 153kcal

Author: Asian in America

Equipment

• wok or large skillet

Ingredients

For the beef

• 1.5 to 2 pounds beef sirloin, tenderloin or skirt steak sliced in 2-inch length strips
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

For the stir-fry

• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 whole large white or yellow onion sliced
• 4 cloves garlic peeled, minced
• 2 stalks scallion whites chopped
• 2 Tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
• 1/4 cup toyo (soy sauce)
• 1 Tablespoon kalamansi juice (Filipino lime) fresh or frozen; or use lemon juice
• 1 whole carrot medium-sized; peeled, sliced in 1-inch strips
• 2 cups sliced green beans cut into 2-inch length pieces
• 2 cups shredded cabbage cut into 2-inch length pieces
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth add 1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid more if noodles get dry; or use water
• 1 package (225 g.) Filipino pancit bihon -dry rice noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 stalks scallion greens chopped; for garnish

For side dipping sauce

• 1/2 cup toyo (soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon kalamansi juice (or lemon juice)
• slices of fresh kalamansi or lemon for garnish on the pancit; optional

Instructions

To prepare the beef:

• Slice the beef against the grain, in about 2-inch length strips.

  In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef with the marinade ingredients: salt, black pepper, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes. Set aside.

To stir-fry:

• In a large wok or skillet, over medium high heat, add the vegetable oil.

  Add the onion and stir-fry till translucent and fragrant for about 5 minutes.

  Add the garlic and scallion whites. Cook until aromatic, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes.

  Take the beef strips from the bowl and add to the skillet. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes till meat turns brown.

  Pour the patis, toyo, calamansi juice and broth.

  As the liquid and ingredients start to simmer, add the carrots, and green beans. Blend beef and vegetables. Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes more till vegetables and meat are cooked.

  Add the shredded cabbage and stir-fry with the rest. The cabbage will take 1 to 2 minutes to cook.

To add the pancit bihon noodles:

• Take the bihon dry noodles and run the whole bunch through cold, running water for about 30 seconds till the noodles are slightly damp (do not drench or over-soak them).

  Add the bihon noodles to the stir-fried beef and vegetables in the skillet or wok. Mix the noodles well into the liquid till they get absorbed and become soft. Blend the noodles with the beef and vegetables.

  Pour the sesame oil. Season with salt and black pepper.

To serve:

• Plate the pancit bihon on a large platter, with the beef and vegetables arranged as toppings. Serve warm. Serve together with a side dipping sauce of toyo (soy sauce) combined with the kalamansi (or lemon) juice.

  Garnish with scallion greens and additional sliced fresh calamansi or lemon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 1668mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the marinade ingredients. The actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary. The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe? I have more classic recipes inspired by my late mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

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