Pancit
Pancit ( ), also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingredients. Most pancit dishes are characteristically served with calamansi. Noodles were introduced to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants over the centuries. They have been fully adopted and nativized into the local cuisine, even incorporating Spanish influences. There are numerous regional types of pancit throughout the Philippines, usually differing on the available indigenous ingredients of an area. Unique variants do not use  noodles at all, but instead substitute it with strips of coconut, young papaya, mung bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, or seaweed. Description. The term "pancit" (or the standardised but less common "pansít") is derived from either the Philippine Hokkien terms 扁食 () or 便的食 (). Different kinds of noodles can be found in Filipino supermarkets which can then be cooked at home. Noodle dishes are also standard fare in local restaurants, with establishments specializing in them called "panciterias". Pancit has evolved in Filipino cuisine to combine both Chinese and Spanish techniques, as well as use local ingredients. Pancit is most commonly cooked by  sautéing ("guisado" in Philippine Spanish) them with garlic, onions, vegetables (commonly carrots, green beans, cabbage, bell peppers, chayote, bottle gourd, "patola", oyster mushrooms, and cauliflower, among others), and meat (including different kinds of Philippine "longganisas") or seafood (including shrimp, fish, squid, crab, oysters, clams, and fish balls). Rarer ingredients include "kamias", coconut milk, banana blossoms, mustard greens, okra, calabaza, "tengang daga" mushrooms, and shitake mushrooms. The ingredients of the sauce varies by recipe. These ingredients include soy sauce (or salt), vinegar, fish sauce ("patis"), "bagoong alamang" (shrimp paste), "taba ng talangka" (crab fat), oyster sauce, bugnay wine, fermented soy bean  paste, and various sweet sauces (including coconut aminos and "inihaw" sauces). They can also be cooked in a broth or braised. Almost all pancit dishes are also uniquely served with sliced halves of calamansi, which adds a tangy sourness. The most common garnishings and condiments are flaked smoked fish ("tinapa"), fried garlic, crumbled pork cracklings ("chicharon"), labuyo chilis, shallots, ground black pepper, glutinous rice "okoy", "kinchay", peanuts, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. Some regions may also add sliced bilimbi fruits ("kamias"). Pancit dishes are generally named after the types of noodles used. The most commonly used noodles are "canton" (egg  noodles, usually round), "bihon" (rice vermicelli), "lomi" (thick egg noodles), "miki" (soft yellow egg noodles, usually flat), "misua" or "miswa" (wheat vermicelli), "palabok" (yellow cornstarch noodles), "sotanghon" (glass noodles), and "odong" (yellow flour noodles). They can also be named after their method of cooking, their origin, and their main ingredients. Pancit is considered both an everyday staple and a comfort food. Pancit can be eaten alone, but they are also frequently eaten paired with white rice, bread (usually "pandesal"), and "puto" (steamed rice cakes). Pancit dishes are commonly served during gatherings, events festivals, and religious activities, due to the ease  in which they can be cooked in large quantities. Nancy Reyes Lumen of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism writes that a belief originating from Chinese Filipinos holds that noodles should be eaten on one's birthday. They are therefore commonly served at birthday celebrations and Chinese restaurants nationwide often have "birthday noodles" listed on the menu. Other variants. Other variants of pancit do not usually use noodles. They include: Instant pancit. Commercial instant noodle versions of pancit are also available. They are popular due to their affordability. The most common flavors are "mami" and "pancit canton", but other Filipino -style noodles are also being adapted for the Philippine market.