Pancit sotanghon is the Filipino stir-fry made with sotanghon, the translucent mung-bean glass noodle whose name comes from Hokkien. Soaked until clear and slippery, the strands are cooked down in chicken stock tinted orange with annatto, then tossed with shredded chicken, wood-ear and shiitake mushrooms, carrot and cabbage. Light yet deeply savory, it is a common birthday and merienda noodle, often made when someone is unwell.
Sotanghon noodles came with the Fujianese trade that brought all pancit to the Philippines; the name derives from a Hokkien term for the mung-bean glass noodle. Filipino cooks adopted the strand and built a localized stir-fry around chicken and annatto-tinted stock. The mild, easily digested dish became a customary food for the sick and for children, in addition to its place on the fiesta table.
The glass noodles are slippery and almost springy, soaked through with savory chicken stock and lightly perfumed by mushrooms. Wood-ear adds a gentle crunch against the soft strands, the chicken is tender, and annatto lends warmth without heat; a squeeze of calamansi keeps it bright.
Mung-bean noodles are only soaked, not boiled, then finished in stock that they absorb almost completely, swelling to a clear, slippery strand. Because the noodle has no flavor of its own, the stock must be well seasoned and reduced to coat. Dried mushrooms are rehydrated and their soaking liquid folded in for an extra layer of umami.
Variations
Sotanghon guisado is the stir-fried version; sotanghon soup keeps it brothy, almost a clear chicken-and-noodle bowl. Some cooks blend sotanghon with wheat canton noodles for two textures, or add shrimp alongside the chicken.
On the Palate
Where Pancit Sotanghon sits in the Filipino flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
7 steps · 20 min
- 112 min
Soak the dried sotanghon in warm water until clear and pliable; rehydrate dried mushrooms separately.
Watch outOnly soak the glass noodles, never boil them — they finish by drinking up the seasoned stock and swelling to a clear, slippery strand.
- 23 min
Bloom annatto seeds in hot oil and discard the seeds.
- 35 min
Saute garlic, onion and shredded chicken in the colored oil until the chicken is cooked.
- 44 min
Add sliced mushrooms, carrot and the mushroom soaking liquid, then pour in chicken stock and season.
- 55 min
Add the drained glass noodles and simmer, tossing, until they absorb the stock.
Watch outSimmer and toss until the noodles absorb the stock almost completely — because the noodle has no flavor of its own, the stock must be well seasoned to carry it.
- 62 min
Fold in shredded cabbage and cook briefly until just wilted.
- 72 min
Plate and top with scallions; serve with calamansi wedges.
