Bihon Pancit - an easy and versatile Gluten Free noodle dish from the Philippines

This dish from the Philippines is filling, addictive, versatile, and so easy to prepare.  You can make it vegetarian, with seafood, with chicken, etc.  The gluten-free rice noodles soak up the flavour and sauce.

Bihon Pancit
Chicken breast, bite sized pieces, chicken thighs, fish, shrimp, pickerel cheeks are wonderful (all optional)
1-2 tbs oil

1 onion, finely chopped
2-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped vegetables (I used zucchini, carrot, spinach but chopped cabbage, beans or peas are common) (all optional)
1 bunch green onions, chopped into bite sized pieces
2-6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
 2-8 tbs dark soy sauce
4 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
8-16 oz rice noodles

If using chicken, brown the chicken and set aside.  Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for a few minutes.  Return the chicken meat to the pan or wok and cook together for a few minutes and season with salt and pepper.   Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until starting to become tender.  Add the stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.  Bring to a simmer and add other optional ingredients, such as pickerel cheeks or great New Brunswick Shrimp, both available at Gimli Fish.  Simmer on medium heat and add in the rice noodles.  Stir gently until all or almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.  Add water or more stock, if more liquid is needed.

Serve immediately or warmed later, with a squeeze of lime juice.

Enjoy!

Rice Pilaf - by request

Pilaf, pilau, rice.  There are so many ways to prepare rice.  In Korea, they cook and dry crispy bits at the bottom of the rice pot, to use for a kind of toasted congee for breakfast.  Turkey, has long held a tradition of excellent pilafs, using dried fruit and nuts, tomatoes, saffron, etc.  Iranian rice is exceptional with a crust, to enjoy.  The following, are some basics. 

Basmati Rice with dried orange and saffron

Basmati Rice with shallots, saffron, pumpkin seeds, and dried lemon

Rice Pilaf

2 cups Basmati Rice
scant 4 cups water
1 onion, thinly sliced, or shallots
pinch saffron
olive oil
salt
1/4 cup each of chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, (such as barberry, currants, raisins, Afghani Tut, or chopped apricots)
A heavy bottomed pot

Heat the oil on medium high heat and add the saffron, to let it bloom in the oil.  Add the onion or shallots and sauté until brown,  Add the rice and coat with the oil.  Add salt, nuts and fruit. 

Turn the element on high and add the water.  Bring to a boil, stirring.  Cover, and set to medium low for 20 minutes. 

Enjoy!