Pancit Memories

I remember my mom preparing the pancit using a buslo [sieve] with a long handle. She would soak the noodles in cold water, then when visitors arrived, she would dip the noodles in boiling water. The boiling time was critical—too long and the pancit were “malabsa” [overcooked], too short, and “matigas ang loob ng pancit” [too hard]. The warm pancit noodles were made tasty with chicharron, tinapa [smoked milkfish], squid, sugpo [prawns], boiled egg, and talaba [oyster].