| Pancit choca | |
| Alternate Name: | pancit choca en su tinta, pancit de choca, pancit choco, pancit pusit, pancit negra, pancit itim, fideos negros, pancit bihon à la negra |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Region: | Cavite |
| Course: | Main dish |
| Served: | Hot |
| Main Ingredient: | squid ink, calamari, rice vermicelli, kamias |
| Similar Dish: | paella negra, pancit bihon |
Pancit choca is a Filipino black seafood noodle dish made with squid ink and bihon (rice vermicelli). It originates from Cavite, Philippines, and is originally known as pancit choca en su tinta in Caviteño Chavacano. It is also known more commonly as pancit pusit in Filipino. It is a type of pancit.[1] [2]
The aesthetic significance of Luzon pancit is visible in the use of squid ink of Caviteños from Tanza, Cavite City and Trece Martirez. The dish is mainly sourced from cuttlefish, an archetypal Chabacano dish, Choko being the Chabacano for cuttlefish. Because of its black color, it was originally eaten only during Lent or funerals. It is topped with contrasting green color of Kamias and the orange color of the fried garlic.[3]
In original Caviteño Chavacano, the dish is known as pancit choca (or choco) en su tinta, literally "noodle with squid in its own ink", commonly shortened to pancit choca or pancit choco.[1] [2] [4] Choca or choco (sometimes spelled choka or choko) means "squid" in Chavacano.[5]
Pancit choca is also known as pancit pusit ("squid pancit"); as well as pancit itim, pancit negra, pancit estacion negra, pancit bihon à la negra, fideos negros, and "black pancit" among other names, due to its color.[6] [7] [8] [9]
Pancit choca is initially cooked similarly to adobong pusit.[10] First, the ink sacs (lumot) have to be removed from the squid without puncturing them. These are reserved for later. The squid is cleaned and diced into rings and sautéed along with garlic, onion, bay leaves, and (optionally) labuyo chili. Vinegar, soy sauce, a little bit of water, and the squid ink are then added and brought to a boil. Additional spices may be added to taste, like patis (fish sauce) and salt. The bihon (rice vermicelli) is added last with the heat reduced until it is soft but still al dente.[6] Some versions soften the bihon in hot water and mix it at the very end of cooking.[10]
It is traditionally garnished with crushed chicharon, scallions, kinchay (Chinese celery), and thinly-sliced kamias (bilimbi).[4] It is served with calamansi and labuyo chili (if the latter wasn't added beforehand).[7] Dayap (key lime) or biasong (a type of papeda), may also be used in place of calamansi.[11]
Some variants of the dish use sotanghon (glass noodles) instead of bihon.[12] [13] Others also add mussels or shrimp, and/or cook the dish in shrimp stock instead of water.[14]
Cavite's pancit choca is a combination of sotanghon with squid, its ink, vinegar, seasonings and aromatic spices garnished with green kamias slivers.[15]