Pancit Molo

The Spanish colonized the Philippines from 1521 to 1898 and the Chinese set up trade posts in Filipino coastal towns as early as the Sung Dynasty (960–1127 AD). Pancit molo resembles Chinese wonton soup, but with an addition of ingredients and flavors that meld the Filipino, Chinese and Spanish cuisines. The name pancit molo refers to the famous Filipino town Molo. Wontons were first included in the seaport village, adding a Chinese element to the soup. Spanish fried garlic was included as a garnish and Filipino fish sauce added roundness and umami. The traditional components are Chinese wontons (a mixture of ground/minced pork wrapped in wonton wrapper), shredded chicken meat and prawns. Pancit (or pansit) is the Filipino word for noodles. Although there are no traditional noodles in this soup, it earns the name from the wonton wrappers.