Pancit canton

Pancit canton is a Filipino dish of stir-fried wheat egg noodles with meat, seafood and vegetables, seasoned mainly with soy sauce. It is one of the pancit family of noodle dishes.

What it really is

The noodles are thin, yellow wheat egg noodles sold dried and sold as "canton" noodles. They are soaked or briefly boiled, then stir-fried in a wok with garlic, onion, pork, chicken and shrimp, with thin strips of cabbage, carrot, green beans or snow peas and often sliced Chinese sausage. The dish is seasoned with soy sauce and finished with a little broth or water so the noodles soften and absorb the flavour, and it is usually garnished with calamansi or lemon wedges and spring onion.

The name comes from the Cantonese-style noodles used in Chinese cooking, and the dish reflects Chinese-Filipino cooking traditions. It is distinct from pancit bihon, which uses thin rice vermicelli, and from pancit luglug, which uses thicker rice noodles with a thick orange shrimp sauce. Pancit canton is usually a drier, savoury stir-fry with yellow noodles.

How it's served

• Served hot on a platter, often at celebrations such as birthdays and family gatherings.
• Eaten with a fork and spoon, with rice commonly served alongside.
• Garnished with calamansi or lemon wedges to squeeze over the noodles before eating.
• Usually shared from a large serving plate at the table.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the noodles as egg noodles and list pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetables, so guests know the protein.
• Flag allergens: wheat (noodles and soy sauce), egg, crustaceans (shrimp) and soy.
• State the protein options, for example chicken, pork or seafood versions, and whether Chinese sausage is included.
• Note that the dish is cooked with soy sauce and contains no dairy.