Healthy Filipino Pancit in 30 minutes

 

Ever since I was a young girl, I have been blessed and fortunate to be part of a culture known for delicious and exotic food!  My mom was from an island in the Central Visayan region of the Philippines and trips to her island were filled with memories of amazing food, family, beautiful seashells, and gorgeous island sunsets!  We used to stay at this resort, The South Seas Resort in Dumaguete.  I remember that a host of family members would arrive at the airport, some teary-eyed and some just so happy to see us again, to take us to the resort.  We would hop into an open-air van and ride through the town that would gradually give way to open fields and homes.  Finally, we would turn down a road lined with traditional homes made from bamboo where people lived in tune with nature, with animals and open kitchens spewing out fireplace smells.  I was fascinated with this lifestyle and the way people lived.  At the end of this road, we arrived at the resort, right on the beach.  It was exciting to enter our room and I always managed to spot a lizard on the walls!  I loved the lizards I saw and my mom warned me not to touch them, or else, it would wind up sticking to me and no one would be able to get it off.  I am not sure if that was just a Filipino mom's way of making sure kids didn't do something they were not supposed to do or just good ol' Filipino superstition.  Part of the culture is superstition...there are things you should do or should not do or else you will get bad luck.  There are spirits everywhere...they seem to be in the air, they are your ancestors, in trees, in doors...the Filipino people are naturally spiritual.  Another memory I have of the islands were the tables and tables of shells, shiny beautiful seashells, reminders of the sea. I never forgot that I saw the biggest, most beautiful seashells in the Philippines! The shells were all sorts of shapes and colors and very shiny.  I marvelled and the rows and rows of perfect shells.  Of course, I have fabulous memories of the food, from lumpia, to pancit to their french fries with banana ketchup!  Of course, Filipino food can be tweaked a bit to actually be healthy.  This is a very easy, and very healthy pancit recipe full of vegetables!

Ingredients

14 oz package of rice noodles or mung bean noodles

1 tsp olive oil

1 yellow onion thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 cups coleslaw mix

1 lb chicken thighs cooked and chopped

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 cup green onions

First, place the noodles in warm water and let them sit there for about 30 minutes.  Add olive oil to the pan, and saute the onions and garlic first for 3-4 minutes.  Then, add the coleslaw, chicken thighs, and remaining ingredients.  Cook until cabbage is tender and chicken is warm about 8-10 minutes.  Then place on a serving tray and garnish with green onions.  Bon Apetite!