Bihon guisado


If there's one Filipino dish that I can cook well - yeah right! 😅- it would be this dish....

But I spent too much time lurking online until I get it right!

I asked my Parental what's the right proportion of noodles and water and she told me, just enough to cook your noodles ! Ha!

Yup, she doesn't measure everything what she's been cooking since time immemorial..

Bihon guisado is made of thin rice noodles , fried with assorted veggies , meat , shrimp , fish sauce and served with a drizzle of calamansi or anything that you would like add into it . This is a popular Filipino dish and commonly served as an everyday meal, a staple in every gatherings and sometimes eaten together with our staple rice!

Before, when I cooked this dish it's either too dry or too wet ....

Until I saw this Filipino blog , which sadly, I can't remember the name ugh! (Hey , that was 3 years ago!), that it should be 5 cups of water for every pack of noodles (about 450 grams).

But don't forget that you need to factor in several kinds of veggies and other ingredients in this dish to absorb some of that liqiud.

I was thinking at that time, "Huh! I bet it will turn into bihon (rice vermicelli or maifun in Cantonese) soup instead of sautéed noodles!"

Now, if you have the inclination or desire to make this dish and a bit leery of putting that huge amount of water, try adding it as you go to achieve the desired consistency.

I know there's a lot of sodium (salt , chicken powder, soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce) in this dish so try to modify it according to your preference.

This is also a good vegetarian dish if you just omit the nasty bits!

450 grams pork, blanched and cut into bite-sized pieces and boil until soft, reserved the broth
150 grams chicken liver, blanched and sliced
600 grams cabbage, sliced
250 grams carrot, sliced
200 grams green beans, cut
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
1  pack / 450 grams rice vermicelli
5 cups pork broth
2 tsps chicken powder
1 T oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp chili flakes
1 T fish sauce
1 T dark soy sauce
calamansi , lime or lemon to serve
chili garlic sauce

* In a wok or a large pan, heat oil and add in the onion, fry until softens then add in garlic and ginger; continue frying until the garlic turns lightly brown. Add the pork, chicken liver, the rest of the veggies and add in the the chicken powder, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, pepper and chili flakes, stir well to combine. Pour in the broth, let boil for a minute or so and add in the fish and dark soy sauce; stir until combine. Cover the wok and cook for about 3 minutes or until veggies are tender; adjust seasoning. Add in the rice noodles, stirring the ingredients around so the noodles will be covered by the broth; cover the pan and continue cooking, stirring the mixture from time to time to prevent the noodles from sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the noodles are soft but not mushy. Serve hot or warm with a drizzle of calamansi juice and with chili garlic sauce thrown in if desired.


Comments

  1. Hi Anne, your bihon look super delicious, I'm hungry now even thou it's 11am at my site.

    Save the 3rd picture for me, I'm coming over in jet plane. Got coffee ready for me then we can yakety-yak till the cow come home. LOL

    Have a nice week ahead,regards.

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    1. Amelia , sadly , that dish was already a distant memory ! lol But coffee is always available ! :D

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  2. This looks absolutely delicious! I also do bi hun often the Chinese way... and add whatever I can think of. No specific recipe as well!

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    1. Mich , the more ingredients , the better and tastier ! :D

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  3. Replies
    1. Ola , calamansi is a kissing cousin of lime and lemon ! lol Smaller in size and just like lime and lemon , it is good as a marinade , a tangy and refreshing drink , dipping sauce or as a drizzle in almost all Asian noodle dishes .....

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  4. Wow, that's a delicious looking plate of bihon! Bihon is my most favourite kind of noodles! So many ingredients, this plate is full of delicious flavours! A big plate for me please, don't forget some sliced bird's eye chillies! Yummy!

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  5. I have many Filipino colleagues and tried this numerous times and I love it. Very similar to the Chinese beehoon (or maifun as call it in cantonese). The main difference is the use of chicken liver.

    You might want to try cooking the rice vermicelli with a can of pork trotter - Hokkien Style and my favourite.

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    1. Chicken liver is seldom added in this dish , partly because some Filipinos don't really like it ! :D

      I've tried that one before in one of the noodle shops here and you're right it is a good combo ! Incidentally , I've just borrowed a book from the library and it has this recipe of Chinese noodles with pork trotter ! :D

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  6. I've never made this dish but it does sound wonderful, maybe high in sodium but you could certainly purchase low sodium brands or use a little less I would think. Nice recipe.

    By the way what kind of dish is the plum colored bowl that you have this in with the 2 handles? I like that.

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    1. Vicki , that's a Rachel Ray 1.5 quart casserole dish that I've bought last year from Meyer Factory sale here ! It's so cheap and really pretty that I can't help but smile everytime I use it ! lol

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  7. The rice noodles I have sticks to each other but doesn't stick to vegetables. I don't know if I don't cook then the right way. I will be getting the same rice noodles you show in the picture and then trying this dish. I am not sure if oyster sauce is gluten free.

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    1. Balvinder , I've seen some gluten-free oyster sauce online before ! Hopefully , you can find it around your area ! :D

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    2. I have never ordered any food item online, I think I have to do it now.

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  8. looks like the asian fried maifun:)i like that it has some fish sauce and lime too, appetising !!oh, i see cilantro..your favourite right?

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    1. Lena , yup ! my fave and got nothing to do with this dish except as an accent ! lol

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  9. This is a new dish for me, but it looks so delicious! I am certain I would become a fan with my first bite :)

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  10. wow, this looks delicious! i haven't eaten a lot of chicken livers in my life, but this looks like a very good place to try them. mmmmm.

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  11. Wow, this sounds like an upgraded version of chao maifun looking at the list of ingredients and flavourings. Must be very tasty! Coincidentally we have the same cute dish, different colors though :)

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  12. oh, this look so similar like Chinese fried meehoon, but your version has more vegetables and ingredients added.. my mother also agak-agak (estimate but no exact measurement) whenever i asked for recipe, hahaha..all mom are the same..

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  13. Anne,I love bihon guisado ...SO MUCH!! and your bihon looks so delicious...na gutom tuloy ako!!

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