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Pancit Malabon on a white serving plate
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3.71 from 17 votes

Pancit Malabon

Pancit Malabon is sure to wow the crowd! Topped with shrimp gravy and a smorgasbord of toppings, this classic Filipino noodle dish is hearty, tasty, and sure to be a party favorite! 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 733kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) thick cornstarch or rice noodle sticks
  • water

For the Toppings

  • canola oil
  • 4 cups napa cabbage, shredded
  • ½ pound pork belly, diced
  • ½ pound squid, cleaned and cut into rings
  • ½ pound large head-on shrimp,
  • 1 cup tinapa flakes
  • 1 cup pork cracklings, crushed
  • fried garlic bits
  • 4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • ¼ cup green onions, chopped
  • calamansi

For the Sauce

  • 5 cups shrimp stock
  • 1 tablespoon annatto powder
  • 2 tablespoons shrimp base powder or 2 bouillon cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons crab fat
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a bowl, soak noodles in water just until softened. Drain well.
  • In a pot over medium heat, bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked but firm to bite. Drain well and set aside.
  • In a pot over medium heat, bring about 2 cups water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook for about 30 to 35 seconds or until tender yet crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove from pot and submerge into a bowl of iced water until cooled. Drain well and set aside.
  • In a pot over medium heat, bring about 1 cup to a boil. Add squid and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pot and set aside.
  • In a pan over medium heat, add pork belly and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
  • Peel shrimp, leaving tail intact. Reserve shrimp heads.
  • In a pot over medium heat, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until color changes. With a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from pot and set aside. Reserve liquid.
  • 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.
  • 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 to top. Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to extract flavor. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain liquid and discard shrimp solids.
  • In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of the shrimp stock and annatto powder. Stir well until annatto powder is dissolved and water has changed to orange color.
  • In a large saucepot over medium heat, combine shrimp stock (about 4 cups from boiling the shrimp heads and about 1 cup reserved from boiling shrimp), fish sauce, and annatto water.
  • Add shrimp base and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil.
  • In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Stir until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the cornstarch slurry to shrimp stock and continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  • Add crab fat and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • In a large bowl, combine noodles, cabbage, sauce, chicharon and tinapa flakes. Gently toss and then transfer to serving plate.
  • Top with hard boiled eggs, shrimp, pork, toasted garlic bits and green onions. Serve with calamansi wedges.

Video

Notes

Soak the noodles just until softened and cook until al dente to keep from getting mushy. They will continue to soften when mixed with the hot shrimp gravy.

Nutrition

Calories: 733kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 359mg | Sodium: 1731mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 3mg