Calamansi halvesSet them at the edge of the platter and squeeze over each serving.
Crushed peanutsA spoonful on top for crunch.
Crushed pork cracklings (chicharon)Crumble them on at the table so they stay crisp.
Fried garlicSprinkle it over the top just before serving.
Shrimp and vegetable fritters (okoy)Serve them whole on the side or break one over the noodles.
Sliced hard-boiled eggsLay the slices over the noodles in a ring.
Smoked fish flakes (tinapa)A salty, smoky pinch over saucy noodles.
Dips and seasonings for the table 4
Banana ketchupSweet and mild, mostly for the fried things next to the noodles.
Chopped onion, chili, vinegar and soy sauceStir it together in a saucer and add it by the spoonful.
Soy sauce with calamansiMix it in a small dish and spoon a little over the noodles.
Vinegar with garlic and pepperFor dipping fritters and spring rolls between forkfuls.
Rice, bread and rice cakes 5
Bread rolls (pandesal)Split a warm roll and fill it with noodles.
Brown rice cakes (kutsinta)Small and sweet. Put out a plate next to the puto.
Buttery cheese-topped rolls (ensaymada)Sweet and salty next to a savory plate of noodles.
Steamed rice cakes (puto)Eat one between forkfuls, or use it to push the noodles.
Steamed white riceA scoop under or beside the noodles, to make a full meal.
Party plates for the same table 14
Battered quail eggs (kwek-kwek)Serve them hot with the garlic vinegar.
Chicken adoboSpoon the dark sauce over rice and eat the noodles beside it.
Filipino meatloaf (embutido)Slice it cold or pan-fry the slices.
Fish balls on skewersFry them and dip them in soy sauce and calamansi.
Fresh spring rolls (lumpiang sariwa)Their sauce is sweet, made with garlic and peanuts.
Fried spring rolls (lumpiang Shanghai)Stack them next to the noodles with a sweet and sour dip.
Fried tofu and pork in soy and vinegar (tokwa't baboy)A sour, garlicky bowl to pick at with the noodles.
Grilled sausages (longganisa)Slice them into coins and pass them round.
Meat stewed in tomato sauce (kaldereta)Ladle it over rice at the other end of the table.
Pickled green papaya (atchara)A sharp, crunchy forkful beside grilled and fried meat.
Pork barbecue skewersPile them on a platter in the middle of the table.
Steamed buns (siopao)One each, warm, for the guests who arrive hungry.
Stuffed milkfishSlice it across so each piece holds some stuffing.
Whole roast pig (lechon)Carve it next to the noodles and share out the crisp skin.
Something sweet after 7
Caramel custard (leche flan)Chill it and cut it into small diamonds.
Cassava cakeServe it at room temperature, in small pieces.
Coconut and pandan jelly (buko pandan)Keep it very cold and serve it in cups.
Fried banana rolls (turon)Eat them warm, while the sugar is still crisp.
Mashed purple yam (ube halaya)A spoonful each, or spread on a soft roll.
Shaved ice dessert (halo-halo)Stir it well before the first spoonful.
Sticky rice cake (biko)Cut it into squares that can be picked up.
Drinks 3
Calamansi juiceSweetened and poured over ice.
Fresh coconut waterIce-cold, in the shell if you can get it.
Sago and jelly drink (sago't gulaman)Serve it with a wide straw or a spoon.
How it works
What to eat with pancit depends on the day. At home the Filipino noodles need a squeeze of calamansi and some toppings. At a party they share the table with lumpia, grilled meat and sweets. These 40 ideas cover both.
Read the full guide
What pancit is served with
Almost every pancit comes with halved calamansi, to be squeezed over the noodles for a sour note. The most common garnishes are flaked smoked fish, fried garlic, crumbled pork cracklings, chilies, shallots, peanuts and sliced hard-boiled egg. Pancit canton and palabok are also eaten at merienda, the light afternoon meal.
On a party table
Pancit is commonly served at gatherings and birthdays, where long noodles are believed to stand for a long life. At Filipino celebrations a whole roast pig, lechon, is the centerpiece, and fresh lumpia and okoy fritters are often served together.
Keep fried garlic and cracklings in bowls of their own until serving. They go soft on hot noodles.
Questions and answers
Do you eat pancit with rice?
Often, yes. Pancit can be eaten alone, but in the Philippines it is frequently paired with white rice, with bread, usually pandesal rolls, or with puto, which are steamed rice cakes.
What can I use instead of calamansi?
A wedge of lemon or lime gives a similar sour squeeze. Calamansi is a citrus grown mainly in the Philippines and is also known as Philippine lime or Philippine lemon.
What sauce goes with pancit?
Soy sauce with calamansi juice, in a small dish. In Tuguegarao a local pancit, batil patong, is served with a saucer of chopped onions, vinegar or calamansi, chilies and soy sauce, and a cup of egg-drop soup.
What dessert goes with pancit?
Leche flan, a caramel custard, or something made with ube, the purple yam. Both are among the sweets a Filipino party table may carry. Sticky rice cake cut into squares can be eaten by hand.
What do you drink with pancit?
Without alcohol: sweetened calamansi juice, fresh coconut water, or sago't gulaman, an iced drink with sago pearls and jelly. Ice-cold water, juice or soft drinks are the usual choice with a meal in the Philippines.