Soul food is an “ethnic cuisine” as Wikipedia puts it, and every nationality has what it calls “soul food” . . . soothing, feel-good comfort food that brings back warm memories of meals shared with family and friends, whether on special occasions or on any particular day . . .

For this month’s blogging event, I would like to share my favourite “feel-good” food for all times, happy or sad . . .

In the PCIJ article Republic of Pancit, it is said that pancit was borrowed from the Chinese, innovated and adopted into the pinoy [Filipino cuisine], connecting us to our Asian roots. It is also a veritable pinoy comfort food — easy to cook than rice, more versatile and food-combination friendly. It is faster than fast food. In fact, “pancit” is derived from the Hokkien “pian i sit”, which means “something conveniently cooked fast.”

Topping my list of fave feel-good food is pancit. My eternal love affair with pancit guisado stems out of my nanay’s passion for this dish. When we were young kids, pancit would also be part of our snack boxes to school. She’d prepare different varieties — bihon, canton, miki, sotanghon, mixed canton-bihon as well as lomi, probably so that we won’t get fed up with the oodles of noodles that would be on the table.

Back in the late 90’s, when I would be asked to go on assignments to London during the winter months, pancit [the Chinese-versions though] served in Chinatown restaurants would give me the warmth and comfort from feeling alone in a strange and cold place.

To this day, pancit would always be a regular fare for me — enjoyed solitary in the peaceful surroundings of my flat, or shared with friends . . .

Here’s one of them . . .

BIHON GUISADO