Pancit Malabon

 

    Pancit Malabon is a popular noodle dish from the Philippines. It features thick rice noodles coated in a rich orangey-red sauce. This sauce includes a mix of ingredients like chopped boiled pork, smoked fish flakes, crushed pork rinds, fish sauce, and annatto oil, which gives it its vibrant color. The dish is also topped with a variety of seafood, such as shrimp, squid, and oysters. Along with these toppings, you'll find sliced boiled eggs, blanched Napa cabbage, chopped scallions, and even more crushed pork rinds.

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg thick rice noodles
2. 6 tbsp Achuete oil [achuete powder diluted in warm cooking oil (cooking oil warmed in the microwave)]
3. 6 cup shrimp stock
4. 2 tbsp minced garlic
5. 1 cup all-purpose flour
6. 1 cup of water
7. 2 tbsp fish sauce
8. Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

1. 2 cup napa cabbage, shredded

2. 1/2 kilo pork belly

3. 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

4. 1 1/2 cup shrimps, head on

5. 1/2 cup spring onions, chopped finely

6. 4–6 pcs Calamansi, sliced

7. 4 tbsp fried garlic bits

8. 1 cup smoked Tinapa, flakes (optional)

9. 1 cup Chicharon, crushed (optional)

Procedure: Palabok Sauce

1. Grab a cup of flour and mix it with the same amount of water, then set it aside.

2. Next, roughly chop those reserved shrimp heads and cook them in a pot with 6 cups of water—make sure to throw in the liquid you saved from boiling the shrimp for the topping. 

3. Once it’s boiling, skim off the foam from the top. Then, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors come out. Strain the mixture to separate the shrimp solids from the liquid.

4. Heat up some Achuete oil in a pan and toss in the garlic to sauté.

5. Now, pour in the shrimp stock and bring it to a boil.

6. Stir in the water-flour mix you set aside earlier, then season with salt, pepper, and fish sauce to taste.

7. Take it off the heat and let it sit for a bit.

For the Toppings:

1. Add 2 cups of water to a small pot and and heat it until boiled. Add cabbage to the boiled water and cook for about half a minute. Remove the cabbage from the pot with a slotted spoon, dip it into the ice-cold water, and then set aside after draining the water.

2. Cook pork belly in a pan over medium heat and stirring in intervals. 3. When it becomes light brown and crispy, remove from the pan on paper towels if available.

3. Boil one cup of water on medium heat. Add shrimp (heads removed) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they change color. Extract from the pot with a slotted spoon and peel upon cooling. Reserve the remaining liquid.

4. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into a pan on medium heat. Add Tinapa flakes and cook with regular stirring until light brown. This should also take about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

For the Palabok Noodles:

1. In a separate deep-sided skillet, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat.

2. Add the noodles and cook for about 3 minutes, or cooked according to package directions.

3. Drain the noodles and place in a serving dish.

Assemble the Palabok:

1. Reheat the sauce, if necessary, and pour over the noodles. Garnish with sliced eggs, smoked fish, green onions, and lemon wedges. To eat, toss the noodles in the sauce with a squeeze of calamansi juice and enjoy.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It has always been my favorite since I was a kid, and it has always been my go-to comfort food. Because It has a unique taste with a rich seafood flavor and vibrant toppings that just make it even better.