Level up your pancit guisado! A delightful combination of two noodle varieties, meat, shrimp, and vegetables, Miki BIhon makes a hearty and tasty midday snack or main dish.
Pancit dishes are fixtures in almost any Filipino occasion, especially during birthdays, as they symbolize long life. A few of the most popular noodles that usually grace the table are the Pancit Bihon, Pancit Canton, and Pancit Palabok. But have you heard of Miki Bihon?
Miki Bihon is a Filipino stir-fried noodle dish that combines egg noodles (Miki) and rice noodles (bihon). Like most pancit guisado recipes, it’s packed with an assortment of meats and veggies for a delicious and filling dish you can enjoy any time of the day!
Ingredient notes
There are no fast rules on what ingredients to use. You can prepare it with whatever meat, seafood, and vegetables you have on hand.
- Miki– a type of egg noodle that is soft and pale yellow in color. It comes in dry variety, which has a longer shelf life, or fresh, which needs to be refrigerated.
- Bihon- dry, thin noodles made of cornstarch or rice flour. It can be stored indefinitely outside of refrigeration.
- Chicken– the recipe calls for boneless, skinless thigh meat, but you can also use chicken breast for a leaner alternative. Other meat options include diced pork, thinly-sliced beef, and hamonado or lap Cheong sausages.
- Fish balls– are popular in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. They are round in shape, most often made from cuttlefish or pollock. You can also use shrimp or squid balls.
- Shrimp– buy fresh, shell-on shrimp and peel them yourself! Frozen, peeled variety may be convenient to use but tend to be rubbery and lack the sweet taste when cooked.
- Vegetables– I used napa cabbage and carrots in this recipe. Feel free to substitute or add green beans, snow peas, celery, cabbage, green onions, and whatever vegetables you have available.
- Kecap Manis – word manis means “sweet” in Malay/Indonesian, so it is often referred to as “sweet soy sauce.” It has a dark color, syrupy consistency, and a molasses-like flavor due to the generous addition of palm sugar. It’s also flavored with garlic, and star anise truly adds dimension to our Miki bihon.
Kecap manis alternative
If you don’t have this sweet soy sauce on hand, make a simple substitute! Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/8 cup brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat until thick and syrupy.
Cooking tips
- If using fresh Miki noodles briefly blanch in hot water to rid of natural oils and drain well. This is a quick process as you don’t want the noodles to turn mushy.
- I also like to parboil the bihon in broth instead of soaking in warm water to soften. This simple trick of submerging and BRIEFLY cooking the noodles in stock adds more depth of flavor. Again this is a very quick step and is only to loosen and slightly soften the strands as the noodles will finish cooking during the stir-fry process.
- For fast and even cooking, cut the meat and vegetables in uniform and bite sizes.
- A wok is best for stir-frying but a wide skillet with high sides will work as well.
- To keep the noodles intact and lessen breakage, use tongs to toss the ingredients together.
Serving suggestions
- Miki Bihon is delicious as a midday snack or main dish. Serve on its own or with pandesal or puto on the side.
- Filipino stir-fried noodle dishes are often enjoyed with a spritz of freshly-squeezed calamansi (or citrus such as lime or lemon) juice to brighten flavors.
How to store leftovers
- To store leftovers, allow to cool completely and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Unfortunately, this dish does not freeze well, as the noodles turn mushy when frozen and thawed.
- Reheat in the microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until completely heated through, stirring well between intervals.
Pancit MIki BIhon Guisado is a delicious medley of egg noodles, rice stick noodles, meat, seafood, and veggies that's sure to hit the spot. It's easy to make and customizable, too! Delicious as a midday snack or main dish!
Course: main dish, Snack
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces )dry miki noodles
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 package (8 ounces) Bihon noodles
- canola oil
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup fish balls, halved
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
- 1 small napa cabbage, chopped
- 1/4 cup kecap manis
- salt and pepper to taste
- green onions, chopped
- calamansi or lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Submerge bihon into the liquid and cook, using tongs to loosen strands, for about 1 minute or just until softened. Drain noodles and reserve about 2 cups of broth.
- In a wok or wide pan over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until color changes to pink. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Wipe down the pan and add more oil as needed. Add fish balls and cook, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add carrots and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add cabbage and cook for another 1 minute.
- Return shrimp and fish balls to skillet. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender yet crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the skillet, add reserved 2 cups broth and kecap manis. Stir until combined and bring to a boil.
- Add miki noodles and gently push down into the broth. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until softened.
- Add bihon noodles and vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are cooked but firm to bite, vegetables are tender yet crisp, and liquid is absorbed.
- Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with green onions and calamansi. Serve hot.
Notes
- You can use dry or fresh miki noodles. If substituting fresh, use 16 ounces and briefly submerge in hot water to loosen and remove natural oils.
- Submerge the bihon noodles in the hot broth very quickly just until they’re softened lest they become mushy when cooked.
- If you don’t have this sweet soy sauce on hand, make a simple substitute! Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/8 cup brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat until thick and syrupy.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 336kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 489mg, Potassium: 434mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1945IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 102mg, Iron: 2mg
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Gina Ambrocio says
Hi, can i just use all miki noodles, is it the same quantity or should i use more? thank you. 🙂
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can use all miki and just double the amount 🙂
Emmz says
I interested to know how to cook the many recipes. Thanks
Beth says
Hi, what brand or substitute i can use for miki noodles…. ive been looking for oriental stores here in Florida but can’t find one that specifically says “miki noodles”… thanks …
Sonia balansay says
Do you pre cook the bihon noodle in the chicken stock too?
Maria says
what is kecap manis?
Lalaine says
Kecap manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. If you can’t find it, just add brown sugar to regular soy sauce.
diana says
i love to cook more filipino dish
Lalaine says
A Pancit noodle will be the best dish to start with 🙂
Mercy says
What is kecap Manis
Lalaine says
It’s an Indonesian sweet soy sauce 🙂 If you don’t have it, just add brown sugar to regular soy sauce.