Pancit Palabok
Thin rice noodles in a savory shrimp and annatto sauce, topped with boiled egg, shrimp, crushed pork crackling and spring onion.
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 30 min
- total
- 1 h
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Palabok is pancit dressed for a party: thin rice noodles bathed in a savory, annatto-orange shrimp sauce, then topped with boiled egg, shrimp, crushed pork crackling and spring onion.
Those toppings matter as much as the noodles underneath. A bowl without the crackling and egg on top is only half the dish.
Part of our 20 best Filipino recipes list.
method
Soak the rice noodles in warm water until softened, about 15 to 20 minutes, then drain.
If using shrimp shells, simmer them in the stock for 10 minutes to deepen the flavor, then strain.
Heat a little oil, soften the onion and garlic, and add the annatto powder, stirring to release its color.
Add the stock and fish sauce, bring to a simmer, and stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken into a glossy sauce.
Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just pink, then remove and set aside, keeping the sauce on low heat.
Briefly blanch or steam the softened noodles until just tender, then drain well.
Arrange the noodles on a platter, pour the hot sauce over, and top with the cooked shrimp, sliced egg, crushed pork crackling, spring onion and fried garlic.
Serve with calamansi wedges to squeeze over just before eating.
chef's tips
- The toppings are not optional garnish here, they're half the dish; a bare bowl of noodles and sauce without the egg, crackling and shrimp misses the point of palabok.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles just before serving rather than mixing them in the pot, so the dish arrives with its layered toppings visible.
- Crushed pork crackling adds the one crunchy element against all that soft noodle and sauce, so crush it just before topping, not too far ahead.
- A squeeze of calamansi right before eating cuts through the richness of the sauce.