Cooking Pork Liempo with Fried Rice & Pancit Bihon

Cooking is a visible act of love, and it has the power to bring people together. Tonight, I cooked Pork Liempo with Fried Rice and Pancit Bihon with my new sister-in-law. I recently asked her if she would cook a dish with me that reminded her of home, the Philippines. She immediately threw me that recognizable warm smile that I love and told me she knew exactly what she wanted to cook. She beamed with happiness and my heart was full. As we cooked together, I felt that our two families grew closer, and it brought me so much joy. 

My husband and brother prepared the charcoal grill outside for the Pork Liempo. The pork had previously been marinated overnight with lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and lime. My sister-in-law coated the ribs with oil and placed them on the hot grill. The sweet smoky aroma coming from the pork was simply amazing. 

Inside, we washed and prepped the produce for the Pancit. We chopped a handful of green beans and cabbage, julienned carrots, and minced red onion. A boil was started for the jasmine rice, and we poached a single chicken breast. As the rice cooked, the poached chicken breast was shredded and set aside. 

To begin the Pancit, we heated vegetable oil in a deep pan and sautéed red onion until it was translucent, added minced garlic, shredded chicken followed by the carrots, green beans, and cabbage. Maifun Rice Sticks were mixed into the same pan. The moisture softened the rice noodles, making it easier to mix. Soy sauce was added, along with salt and pepper to taste. When the ingredients were incorporated, and the rice noodles were softened, we put a lid on the pan and set it aside. 

To begin the fried rice, we heated some vegetable oil in a sauté pan and cooked some red onion until translucent and added minced garlic and cooked until fragrant. We then added the jasmine rice, followed by some sesame oil. We fried the rice until it became more golden in color. Two eggs were scrambled and added to the rice mixture.  Soy sauce was then added for additional taste and color. 

We took the pork off the grill and let it rest while we placed the Pancit and fried rice in serving bowls/trays. It was finally time to eat! We marveled over the feast that we prepared, it was a massive amount of food! 

The Pancit was incredibly flavorful, the texture of the vegetables was tender and crisp. This dish could easily be enjoyed as a meal on its own. It’s the ultimate comfort food. 

The Pork Liempo was extremely tender. Smoky, sweet, tangy. Awesome flavor and the fried rice, although more subtle in flavor, was a wonderful addition to this savory meal. There was nothing left on anyone’s plate, at the end of dinner. I’m happy to say that I have some leftovers for tomorrow. Can’t wait! 

Cooking with my sister-in-law was so enjoyable. She wouldn’t tell me the exact recipe for tonight’s spectacular meal, but that’s ok. I can’t wait to cook with her again. I hope it becomes a weekly tradition. I need more Pancit in my life!!!