Cagayan’s Yummy Pancit Batil Patung

Pancit Batil Patung (sometimes Patong). How come people name a pancit as complicated as that? According to my history teacher in Elementary, pancit came from the Chinese merchants and Filipinos began to love it and create many versions of it- we have bihon, canton (obviously Chinese right?). Soon other towns created their own variety- Pancit Malabon, Pancit Bato (Camarines), Pancit Habhab (Quezon), Pancit Molo (Iloilo) and the list would not end.

Tuguegarao’s Pancit Batil Patung

But this is about Cagayan’s pancit batil patung and the  preparation is as complicated as its named.

When I was in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan I immediately asked the tricycle driver’s where they usually eat for pancit batil patung and they brought me at D’ Original Batil Patung Jomar’s Panciteria. I ordered the special one which is Php70.

A worker picks a generous amount of noodles to be seasoned with spices and soy sauce

Boiled with water. They add soy sauce, white sugar and vinegar

Then it is topped with lots of chicken liver cooked adobo style (soy sauce with vinegar, garlic and bayleaf)

The noodles is cooked in boiling water with soy sauce, white sugar and spices, mixed with a generous amount of chicken (or pork) liver, vegetables (carrots, toge, cabbage and bell pepper) and topped with crunchy chicharon and egg; added with local vinegar with chopped onions to balance the saltiness brought by the sauce and a special egg soup as if the food is not tasty enough.

I particularly like the saltiness of the soy sauce and sourness of the local vinegar plus the adobo-like chicken liver. Not to mention the chicharon (pork skin deep-fried until crunchy) which added texture to the dish.I remember locals topped their pancits with chopped onions to add more spice. The soup I wasn’t able to finish because the pancit itself is too much for me even though I was very hungry when I came inside the panciteria. If you are going to order a special serving be sure that you have someone to share it with.

It was the grandest noodle meal I ever had in my life and it was soooo delish. I would go back to Cagayan just for that, that is if I stopped being a pescatarian.

But NOW, IT IS TIME TO DIG IN!

GRABE! Nakakapaglaway…

Have you tried one? I believe this is already available in Manila. How was it?

I have a full story about this trip to Cagayan here: Callao Caves and Chicken Bus to Apayao