🍜 Pancit Palabok

Noodles & Rice · Main ingredient: Rice Noodles · ⏱ 19 min · Serves 5 · ~₱265 · Best for: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Ingredients

• 400 g 400g pancit luglug or bihon (rice noodles), cooked according to package and drained
• 3 tbsp 3 tbsp annatto (atsuete) seeds soaked in 1/2 cup warm water, or 3 tbsp atsuete powder
• 4 tbsp 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 5 clove 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pc 1 medium onion, chopped
• 250 g 250g ground pork
• 3 tbsp 3 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
• 0.3333 cup 1/3 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup 1 cup crushed chicharon (pork cracklings)
• 3 pc 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 0.5 cup 1/2 cup smoked fish flakes (tinapa) or dried shrimp (hibe)
• 0.25 cup 1/4 cup toasted garlic bits
• 2 stalk 2 stalks spring onions, chopped
• 1 pc Calamansi, for serving

Instructions

1. Boil shrimp shells in 3 cups water for 10 minutes to make stock; strain and set aside.
2. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions until just tender; drain, rinse briefly, and set aside on a serving platter.
3. Strain the annatto-soaked water to extract the orange-red liquid, or dissolve the atsuete powder in the shrimp stock.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add ground pork and cook until browned, breaking it up, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes; remove half the shrimp for garnish and leave the rest in the sauce.
6. Pour in the annatto liquid and shrimp stock; season with fish sauce and bring to a simmer.
7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry gradually, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to a smooth, glossy consistency.
8. Pour the hot sauce evenly over the prepared noodles on the platter, covering completely.
9. Arrange crushed chicharon, sliced hard-boiled eggs, reserved shrimp, smoked fish flakes, toasted garlic bits, and spring onions attractively on top.
10. Serve immediately with calamansi, tossing everything together just before eating.

🩺 Health-condition tags and calorie counts are general reference estimates only, not medical advice — consult a doctor or dietitian for guidance specific to you.