Main Course

Pancit Palabok

Name: Pancit Palabok
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: filipino
Ingredients: 225 g rice noodle bihon or thick vermicelli; 225 g shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on or off; 100 g pork belly boiled and thinly sliced or diced; 4 clove garlic minced; 1 tsp annatto powder; 2 tbsp rice flour; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 720 ml chicken broth; 0.5 cup smoked fish flakes tinapa, flaked; 2 pcs hard-boiled egg quartered; 0.5 cup chicharon crushed; 2 tbsp green onion chopped; 2 pcs calamansi halved

Pancit Palabok is a festive Filipino noodle dish known for its thick, savory shrimp-garlic sauce and vibrant toppings. Each bite offers a delightful contrast of textures and flavors, making it a popular choice for celebrations. This recipe guides you through creating this rich and satisfying dish at home.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 10 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 514 kcal

Allergen information: may contain crustaceans, eggs, fish, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

225 grice noodle, bihon or thick vermicelli

sauce

225 gshrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on or off
4 clovegarlic, minced
1 tspannatto powder
2 tbsprice flour
2 tbspfish sauce
720 mlchicken broth

toppings

100 gpork belly, boiled and thinly sliced or diced
0.5 cupsmoked fish flakes, tinapa, flaked
2 pcshard-boiled egg, quartered
0.5 cupchicharon, crushed
2 tbspgreen onion, chopped

garnish

2 pcscalamansi, halved

Equipment

large pan · ladle · large pot · whisk

The method

Step by step

1
Cook the rice noodles according to package directions, typically by soaking in hot water or boiling briefly until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcook the noodles; they should be al dente as they will absorb some sauce later.
2
In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the annatto powder and stir until dissolved, creating an orange-red broth.
About 5 min
3
In a separate pan, sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink.
About 5 min
4
Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the fish sauce to the pan with the garlic, stirring to deglaze.
About 2 min
5
Whisk the rice flour with a small amount of cold water to form a slurry, then gradually stir it into the simmering annatto broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
About 8 min
Cook’s note: Adjust the amount of rice flour slurry for a thicker or thinner sauce.
6
Return the cooked shrimp to the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce if needed.
About 1 min
7
To serve, place the cooked noodles on a large platter or individual plates. Ladle a generous amount of the rich shrimp sauce over the noodles.
About 2 min
8
Garnish with the sliced pork belly, smoked fish flakes, quartered hard-boiled eggs, crushed chicharon, and chopped green onions. Serve immediately with calamansi on the side.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Encourage diners to squeeze fresh calamansi juice over their serving for an extra layer of bright flavor.

Per serving

Nutrition

25%Score

Calories: 514kcal
Protein: 29.9g
Carbs: 54.6g
Fat: 20.2g
Fibre: 0.9g
Sugar: 1.4g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover Pancit Palabok in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.