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Pancit palabok
Rice noodles with shrimp sauce
Pancit palabok: rice noodles under orange shrimp-and-pork sauce with crushed chicharrón
FilipinoNo Manila birthday party or office merienda is complete without a tray of palabok. Soft rice noodles are smothered in a thick, bright orange sauce made from shrimp stock, minced pork and annatto, then scattered with crushed pork crackling (chicharrón), flaked smoked fish, sliced egg, shrimp and spring onion, with calamansi squeezed over at the table. It is rich, savoury and a little smoky. The pork in this recipe is minced pork shoulder, cooked through in the sauce. Chef's tip: simmer the shrimp heads and shells for the stock; sauce made from water and stock cubes tastes flat and dull.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the shrimp stock
- 10 ½ oz raw shell-on prawns
- 5 cups water
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlicminced
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 9 oz minced pork
- 2 tsp annatto powder
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ¾ oz plain flourmixed with 150 ml cold water
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the noodles and toppings
- 3 eggshard-boiled, sliced
- 2 ⅛ oz pork crackling (chicharrón)crushed
- 3 ½ oz smoked mackerel or tinapaskin and bones removed, flaked
- 4 spring onionssliced
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Peel 10 ½ oz raw shell-on prawns, keeping heads and shells. Simmer the heads and shells in 5 cups water for 20 minutes, mashing them against the pan, then strain, pressing hard. You want about 1 litre of stock.
25 minStep 2: Drop the peeled shrimp into a little of the hot stock for 2 minutes, until pink and curled, then lift out and set aside for topping.
2 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 6 cloves garlic and 1 onion until soft and golden, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 4: Add 9 oz minced pork and fry, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it starts to brown, about 6 minutes.
6 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tsp annatto powder, then pour in the shrimp stock, 3 tbsp fish sauce and ½ tsp black pepper and bring to a simmer.
3 minStep 6: Whisk the 1 ¾ oz plain flour slurry in gradually and simmer, stirring, for 5–8 minutes, until the sauce is glossy, bright orange and thick enough to coat a spoon heavily. Check the pork is piping hot (160°F).
8 minStep 7: Meanwhile soak or boil 16 oz thick rice noodles (palabok or bihon) according to the packet until just tender, then drain well.
8 minStep 8: Pile the noodles on a platter, pour the sauce over and scatter with 3 ½ oz smoked mackerel or tinapa, 2 ⅛ oz pork crackling (chicharrón), 3 eggs, the cooked shrimp and 4 spring onions. Serve with 6 calamansi or lime wedges to squeeze over, and toss at the table.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pancit palabok take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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Perfect for:Party & potluck