Pancit Canton (Filipino Stir-Fried Egg Noodles with Chicken and Prawns)
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and Food Network Kitchen.
A Filipino stir-fried noodle dish where egg noodles simmer in a seasoned stock with chicken, prawns and crisp vegetables until they soak up all the flavour.
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Method
- 1
Mix the sauce. Combine the stock, water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and black pepper in a jug or bowl. Having this measured out in advance means the stir-fry can move quickly once the wok is hot.
- 2
Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the wok over medium-high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 74°C at the thickest piece, then lift it out onto a plate. Cooking the chicken first and setting it aside stops it overcooking while the rest of the dish comes together.
- 3
Cook the prawns. Add the prawns to the same hot wok and cook for 1-2 minutes until they turn opaque all the way through, then lift them out with the chicken. Prawns cook very fast, so pulling them out as soon as they turn opaque keeps them tender rather than rubbery.
- 4
Stir-fry the vegetables. Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes, then the garlic for 30 seconds, followed by the carrot and green beans for 2 minutes and finally the cabbage for 1 minute until everything is crisp-tender. Push the vegetables to the sides of the wok to make room in the centre.
- 5
Simmer the noodles in sauce. Pour the sauce into the centre of the wok and bring it to the boil, then add the dry noodles and turn them with tongs for 3-5 minutes as they soften and soak up nearly all the liquid. Cooking the noodles directly in the seasoned stock, rather than boiling them separately, means every strand ends up seasoned through rather than just coated on the outside.
- 6
Return the protein. Add the chicken and prawns back to the wok and toss everything for 1 minute until glossy and there's no liquid pooling in the pan. The noodles should look evenly coloured with the sauce clinging to them rather than sitting in a puddle.
- 7
Finish and serve. Scatter the spring onions over the top and serve straight away with calamansi or lime wedges to squeeze over. A squeeze of citrus just before eating cuts through the richness of the sauce.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave with a splash of water until piping hot (74°C) throughout; pancit canton doesn't freeze well as the noodles turn soft and watery once thawed. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- wok (35 cm) or large non-stick frying pan (30 cm)
- wok spatula or tongs
- small bowls for the prepared ingredients
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 530 kcal |
| Protein | 36.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 59.1 g |
| of which sugars | 7.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 16.7 g |
| of which saturates | 2.4 g |
| Fibre | 5.7 g |
| Salt | 2.51 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
