One of the most famous noodle dishes in Cavite, Pancit Choca gets its black ink color from squid ink.
This Pancit Choca recipe by Maria Victoria Guevarra Calaguas is simple and quick to put together, but definitely delivers on flavor. Topped with squid rings, tahong (mussels), shrimp, and talaba (oysters), this pancit dish makes for a festive platter great for family gatherings and celebrations.
Also known as pancit pusit or pancit negra, some would describe this dish as reminiscent of adobong pusit, noodle-version.
Recipe Tips
Since this recipe aims the spotlight on its seafood components, it’s important to choose only the freshest catch and cooking them just right, as overcooking seafood (especially squid) can turn them too chewy or, worse, tough.
For this recipe, you may use shrimp bouillon cube or store-bought shrimp stock, but making your own is quite easy, too. Collect the shrimp heads and shells, place in a small pot and add 1 to 2 cups of water. Let it boil for several minutes to infuse the broth with the shrimp flavors. Let it cool, and then strain the broth using a sieve or cheesecloth to remove the heads, shells, and debris. This will make a wonderfully rich shrimp broth that you can use for your Pancit Choca, or for later use in other recipes. Keep the broth in a well-sealed container and freeze until ready to use.
Substitutions & Alternatives
- Some recipes recommend using sotanghon (vermicelli) noodles instead of bihon, so feel free to swap these if bihon is not available.
- Squid doesn’t have enough ink sacs? You may also use canned or bottled squid ink.