During my trip to Tuguegarao City last summer, I discovered the most amazing noodle dish I’ve ever tasted – Pancit Batil Patung.
While looking for somewhere to eat lunch, a friendly local pointed me to a small eatery where I watched the cook make this special pancit. The way they prepared it was different from any pancit I’d had before: mixing fresh noodles with tender meat, topping it with a runny egg, and serving it with a hot soup on the side.
After chatting with the cook and visiting the shop several times, I learned how to make it at home. Now I’m excited to share this recipe with you. While it might look fancy, don’t worry – if you can cook regular pancit, you can definitely make this Tuguegarao specialty in your own kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Tuguegarao flavors that transport you to the streets of Cagayan Valley
- Perfect balance of textures: chewy noodles, tender meat, crispy chicharon, and silky egg
- Customizable toppings to suit your taste
- Complete meal in one bowl with protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates
- Rich in Filipino culinary heritage
- Impressive dish for special occasions
Pancit Batil Patung (Tuguegarao-Style Noodles)
Equipment
- Large wok or deep pan (kawa) for stir-frying noodles and achieving proper "wok hei"
- Sharp knife (kutsilyo) for precise meat and vegetable cutting
- Wooden spatula (sandok na kahoy) for stirring without breaking the noodles
- Strainer [Salaan] for draining noodles and blanching vegetables
- Small pot for preparing the soup
- Egg whisk (panghalo ng itlog) for beating eggs for the soup
- Serving bowls (mangkok) for the main dish and soup
Ingredients
For the Noodles and Meat
- 500 g Fresh Miki or Hokkien noodles Mikining Tuguegarao
- 200 g pork belly sliced into small pieces (liempo)
- 200 g carabao beef minced (giniling na kalabaw)
- Alternative: ground beef giniling na baka
- 2 cups crushed chicharon crushed pork rinds
- 8 cloves garlic minced (bawang)
- 1 medium onion sliced (sibuyas)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce toyo
- 2 tablespoons patis fish sauce
- Cooking oil mantika
- Freshly ground black pepper paminta
For the Vegetables
- 1/4 head cabbage shredded (repolyo)
- 1 cup togue bean sprouts
- 1 medium carrot julienned (karot)
- 3 stalks green onions chopped (sibuyas na mura)
For the Soup
- 3-4 cups carabeef and pork stock
- 2 eggs beaten
- Salt and pepper to taste asin at paminta
For Garnish
- 4-6 poached eggs it;log
- Calamansi sliced
- Additional crushed chicharon
- Chopped green onions
Instructions
- Take out your fresh miki noodles (500g), sliced pork belly (200g), minced carabao beef (200g), crushed chicharon (2 cups), shredded cabbage (1/4 head), bean sprouts (1 cup), julienned carrots (1 medium), sliced onion (1 medium), and minced garlic (8 cloves). You’ll also need soy sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, eggs, cooking oil, and calamansi.
- Start by making your broth. Fill a pot with water and add some pork bones and carabao meat trimmings. Let this simmer on medium heat (180°C) for 30 minutes. Once done, strain the broth and set it aside.
- Heat up your large pan or wok over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, cook your minced carabao beef until brown. This takes about 5 minutes. Take it out and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook your pork belly pieces until they turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Move them to one side of the pan.
- Add half of your garlic and onions to the empty side of the pan. Cook until they smell fragrant and the onions become clear, about 1 minute.
- Now add your fresh miki noodles. Pour in 1 cup of your broth, then add 1/2 cup soy sauce and 2 tablespoons fish sauce.
- Keep stirring the noodles gently while adding more broth little by little. Do this for about 5 minutes until the noodles are cooked but still chewy.
- Add your bean sprouts and give everything a quick stir. Transfer all of this to your serving bowl.
- Using the same pan, add a little more oil if needed. Cook your remaining garlic and onions for 1 minute. Add your carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Then add your cabbage and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with a splash of fish sauce and some pepper.
- Put all your cooked vegetables on top of your noodles in the serving bowl. Add your cooked carabao meat on top of the vegetables.
- For the soup, heat up your remaining broth until it’s hot but not boiling. Beat an egg in a small bowl. While stirring the broth, slowly pour in the beaten egg. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook one egg (either poached or sunny side up) for each bowl of noodles you’re serving. Place this egg on top of each bowl.
- Sprinkle plenty of crushed chicharon over everything. Add some chopped green onions if you like.
- Pour your hot soup into small serving bowls. Place these next to your noodle bowls along with some sliced calamansi.
- When eating, squeeze some calamansi over your noodles and mix everything together. Sip the hot soup between bites. Add more chicharon as you eat if you want extra crunch.
- Make sure to serve everything while hot. The vegetables should still be a bit crispy, and the egg yolk should be runny so it mixes nicely with the noodles.
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Use fresh miki noodles for authentic texture
- Don’t overcook the vegetables to maintain crunch
- Beat the egg well before adding to the soup for silky strands
- Always serve the soup piping hot
- Prepare extra crushed chicharon for guests to add as needed
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Serve with small bowls of soup (batil) on the side
- Provide extra calamansi halves
- Offer chili garlic sauce (siling labuyo sauce)
- Include additional crushed chicharon
- Serve with local vinegar (suka)
Troubleshooting
- Noodles too dry: Add more stock gradually
- Soup too thick: Add hot water or stock
- Vegetables too soft: Reduce cooking time
- Egg not silky in soup: Beat more thoroughly and stir while pouring
Ingredient Alternatives
- Carabao meat → Beef or pork
- Fresh miki → Thick yellow noodles or lo mein
- Chicharon → Crispy fried garlic
- Patis → Additional soy sauce
- Calamansi → Lemon or lime
Storage & Reheating
- Store noodles and soup separately
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days
- Reheat noodles in pan with splash of water
- Make fresh soup when reheating
- Store toppings separately
Variations
- Seafood Batil Patung: Add shrimp and squid
- Vegetarian version: Use mushrooms and tofu
- Spicy version: Add chili oil and dried chilies
- Extra meaty: Add liver and chicken
FAQs
Q: Can I prepare this in advance? A: Yes, prepare components separately and assemble before serving. Q: Is it spicy? A: No, but you can add chili sauce to taste. Q: Can I freeze the noodles? A: Not recommended as texture will change. Q: How do I know when the noodles are done? A: They should be chewy but not mushy. Q: Can I make it healthier? A: Use lean meat and increase vegetables.
Nutrition
The Story Behind Pancit Batil Patung
Deep in the heart of Cagayan Valley, Tuguegarao City is home to one of the Philippines’ most unique noodle dishes – Pancit Batil Patung. The name itself tells us how to eat it: “batil” means to beat (as in beating an egg), and “patung” means to put on top. This special way of preparing pancit started in the 1970s when local cooks wanted to create something different from the usual pancit recipes.
What makes this dish so special is how it brings together the region’s best ingredients. The carabao meat used in Pancit Batil Patung comes from Cagayan Valley’s strong farming tradition, where carabaos have always been an important part of daily life. The fresh miki noodles are made locally, thicker and chewier than regular pancit noodles, making them perfect for soaking up the rich flavors of the dish.
One thing that sets Tuguegarao’s pancit apart is its special soup on the side. Unlike other pancit dishes that are dry, Batil Patung comes with a steaming bowl of soup made with beaten egg (that’s where the “batil” part comes in). Local cooks say this soup tradition started because Tuguegarao’s hot weather made people want something to sip while enjoying their noodles.
Today, you’ll find Pancit Batil Patung in almost every corner of Tuguegarao City, from small carinderias to big restaurants. Each place has its own secret recipe, but they all keep the basic elements that make this dish special – the fresh miki noodles, carabao meat, runny egg on top, and that distinctive soup on the side. It’s become such an important part of Tuguegarao’s culture that visitors often say you haven’t really been to the city until you’ve tried their famous pancit.
What started as a simple noodle dish has become a symbol of Tuguegarao’s creativity with food. The way they combined Chinese noodle-making traditions with local ingredients shows how Filipinos can take something familiar and make it uniquely their own. This is probably why Pancit Batil Patung has grown from being just a local favorite to becoming one of the most sought-after pancit varieties in the Philippines.
