Filipino Pancit Palabok

Ingredients

• 227 g Vermicelli Noodles (Good Life Premium Vermicelli recommended)
• 250 g Shrimp (Fresh, with heads for broth)
• 4 cup Water (Used for making shrimp broth)
• 1 Shrimp Cube (Bouillon cube)
• 300 g Ground Pork
• 1 Onion (Medium size, diced)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (Minced)
• 2 tbsp Fish Sauce (Patis)
• 0.333 cup Tinapa Flakes (Smoked fish flakes, already fried)
• 1 tbsp Achuete Powder (Annatto powder for color)
• Chicharon (Crushed, for sauce and topping)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 0.5 cup Cornstarch (Part of slurry mixture)
• 0.5 cup Water for Slurry (Part of slurry mixture)
• 2 Eggs (Hard-boiled, for topping)
• Salt (To taste)
• Black Pepper (To taste)
• MSG (Optional)
• Calamansi (For serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Quickly sauté the shrimp in a pan until pink and cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside for topping.

2. 2

   In the same pan, sauté the shrimp heads to extract their flavor. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.

3. 3

   Once boiled, remove and discard the shrimp heads. Add 1 shrimp cube to the liquid to create a rich shrimp broth, then set aside.

4. 4

   In a clean pot or large pan, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until fragrant and translucent.

5. 5

   Add the ground pork to the aromatics. Season with fish sauce (patis) and black pepper, and cook until the pork is browned.

6. 6

   Add the fried tinapa flakes to the pork mixture and stir to combine.

7. 7

   Pour in the prepared shrimp broth. Add the achuete powder (for color), some crushed chicharon, and 1 tbsp of sugar.

8. 8

   Season the sauce with salt and MSG (if using) to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

9. 9

   Whisk together 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup water to make a slurry. Gradually pour the slurry into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly until it reaches your desired thickness.

10. 10

    Prepare the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions (usually soaking in hot water until tender but firm). Drain well.

11. 11

    To assemble, place a portion of noodles on a plate. Generously pour the palabok sauce over the noodles.

12. 12

    Top with the cooked shrimp, sliced hard-boiled eggs, more crushed chicharon, and additional tinapa flakes if desired. Serve with calamansi on the side.

Notes

The creator emphasizes using high-quality vermicelli that stays firm and crystal clear after cooking to avoid a mushy texture. The shrimp head broth is essential for the authentic deep seafood flavor of the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Filipino
• Noodles
• Seafood
• Pork
• Comfort Food