Filipino Shrimp Pancit Noodles

My brother-in-law was born in the Philippines and came over to the U.S. in his early teen years. When he married my sister I wanted to learn about the Filipino food culture and one of the first dishes I tried was his mom's shrimp pancit. Fast forward well over a decade and I have learned a thing or two; every meal needs rice, there is always a plentiful bounty to share just in case someone stops by unexpectedly, and somehow purple yams (ube) seem to always find their way into dessert!

My children have grown up learning to appreciate the classic dishes like pancit (noodles), adobo (marinated meat), lumpia (deep fried spring roll), sinigang (Sour braised meat soup), and ube (purple yam) ice cream, but it didn’t happen by accident.

When we are all together for Thanksgiving, our family has both traditional American fare, and the Filipino foods my brother-in-law grew up with. It would be easy to “pass” on the Filipino cuisine for my Small Fries, only filing their plates with what I knew they would eat. Instead, I always put a little bit of everything in front of them, and at the table, we talk to the kids about the preperation of the pancit noodles, and what they can expect the flavor and texture to be like if they choose to try a bite.

My recipe for shrimp pancit noodles was inspired by my Filipino family’s cooking but has an American twist with the addition of butter and honey, and some easy “cheats” if you don’t have a Filipino grocery store nearby. This recipe is always a massive hit at cooking camps; even for kids who say they don't like vegetables!  Countless numbers of parents are shocked to see their Small Fries slurping up noodles with forkfuls of yummy umami veggies in the mix.

If you don't have a Filipino or Asian grocery store nearby, here are some convenient Amazon links to purchase the key ingredients for this recipe! Better prices are always at your local store or other online retailers such as Walmart.