Bihon

Bihon refers to a type of pancit (Chinese-influenced Filipino noodles). These are thin noodles made from rice flour. Bought dry, they look like very thin white sticks, so they are also known to English speakers as rice sticks. They’re also known as rice vermicelli, and a few people favor the Spanish-inspired spelling bijon.

When cooked by Filipinos as guisado (sautéed), bihon noodles tend to come out light brown in color, particularly with the inclusion of soy sauce. Ingredients added to the noodles vary, but usually there’s chopped vegetables like cabbage and carrots. The substantial flavor can be from meat like pork or chicken, or a seafood like shrimp.

In Tina Carolino’s version below, the notable vegetable is ampalaya (bitter gourd) and the “meaty” ingredient is canned Saba sardines!

Serve these pancit noodles with citrus, preferably the local calamansi sliced in half. Squeeze the fruit to drizzle the juice over the noodles. Eat with a fork!

Recipe for pancit bihon guisado and more photos after the website upgrade. Please check back!