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Pancit Palabok with toppings on a white serving plate
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4.21 from 49 votes

Pancit Palabok

Pancit Palabok with rice noodles, flavorful shrimp gravy, and assorted toppings makes a delicious midday snack or main meal and is sure to be a family favorite. Perfect for gatherings and special occasions!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: main dish, Snack
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 440kcal

Ingredients

For the Toppings

  • ½ pound shrimp
  • canola oil
  • ½ pound pork belly, diced
  • 8 ounces firm tofu
  • ½ cup tinapa flakes
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup pork cracklings (chicharon), crushed
  • 4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • ¼ cup green onions, chopped
  • calamansi or lemon, cut into wedges

For the sauce

  • shrimp heads ( reserved from peeling the shrimp)
  • 5 cups water
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons annatto seeds
  • cup flour
  • 2 pieces shrimp bouillon
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the noodles

  • 1 package (8 ounces) cornstarch or rice stick noodles

Instructions

For the Toppings

  • Peel shrimp, leaving tail intact. Reserve shrimp heads. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Place shrimp in a fine-mesh sieve and dip in the boiling water until the shrimp change color. Remove from the pot and set aside. Reserve liquid.
  • In a skillet over medium heat, add pork belly and cook, stirring occasionally, it releases oil. Continue to cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
  • Drain tofu from packing liquid and wrap with paper towels to rid of extra moisture. Cut into ¼-inch cubes. In a wide pan, heat about 1-inch deep of oil. Add tofu and deep-fry until golden brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove from, and set aside.
  • In a pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add tinapa flakes and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and heated through. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • In a small pan over low heat, heat about ¼ cup oil. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove toasted garlic and drain on paper towels. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil.

For the Sauce

  • With a knife, coarsely chop reserved shrimp heads.
  • In a pot over medium heat, combine shrimp heads and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam that rises on top. Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to extract flavor. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain liquid and discard shrimp solids. Reserve 5 cups of the stock.
  • In a saucepot over medium heat, heat ¼ cup canola oil. Add 2 tablespoons of annatto seeds and cook, stirring regularly, until oil is infused with deep-orange color. With a slotted spoon, remove seeds and discard.
  • Add flour to the annatto oil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until smooth.
  • Slowly add shrimp stock, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer.
  • Add shrimp bouillon and stir until dissolved.
  • Cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the noodles

  • In a large bowl, soak rice noodles in water for about 1 to 2 minutes or just until loosened. Drain well.
  • In a pot over medium heat, bring about 6 cups water to a brisk boil. Add noodles and cook for about 1 minute. Drain well.

To serve

  • Place noodles onto serving plates. Spoon sauce over noodles. 
  • Top with shrimp, chicharon, fried pork, crispy tofu, tinapa flakes, hardboiled eggs, toasted garlic bits, and green onions. Serve with calamansi wedges.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg