Pancit palabok is an easy noodle dish to prepare with shrimp sauce, and topped with fried garlic, green onions, sauteed pork, chicharon (ground pork crackling) and a slice of hard boiled egg is delicious.
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What is pancit?
The word pancit means “noodles” in Tagalog. It is known as a traditional noodle dish in Filipino cuisine. Pancit is a quick and easy stir-fried noodle dish topped with a savory sauce, meat and vegetables.
What is pancit palabok?
There are various types of pancit like pancit canton, pancit malabon, pancit luglug, and many more. What makes pancit palabok special is the type of noodle that is used, and the sauce which is shrimp based. Note when serving pancit palabok the sauce sits on top of the noodles and is stirred by the person eating the dish or right before it’s about to be served.
What is the tradition of pancit?
Pancit will always be found at a birthday celebration at a traditional Filipino home. Noodles were introduced to the Philippines by the Chinese to symbolize long life and good health.
Ingredients
- Rice noodles, bihon
- Shrimp
- Water
- Annatto Seeds
- Vegetable oil
- Flour
- Shrimp bouillon
- Fried garlic
- Green onions
- Chicharon
- Hard boiled egg
- Lemon
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Noodles
- Prep: First soak the rice noodles in water for 15 minutes or until noodles are loosened. Drain well and set aside.
- Cook: Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a pot over medium heat, add noodles. Cook for 2 minutes. Ensure the noodles are still firm.
Toppings
- Prep: Peel the shrimp, reserve the shrimp heads, this will be used in the sauce. Chop the garlic, the more garlic the better.
- Cook: Heat the pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and oil, stirring frequently until the garlic becomes golden brown. This will take 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a strainer to remove the excess oil. Set aside for later.
In the same pot where the noodles were cooked, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Place the shrimp in a fine-mesh sieve to dunk the shrimp into the boiling water until it changes to a pink color. Set the shrimp aside.
For the sauce and putting together the dish see recipe card.
What goes well with pancit palabok?
Empanadas are a great side dish to pancit. Along with plain bread like pandesal.
Variations
Looking to make this recipe even better check out these tips to better suit you and your guests:
- Choice of toppings: Consider adding smoked fish flakes (tinapa), fried tofu cubes, and even diced pork belly to elevate the pancit!
- Mix & Match: Try adding different kinds of noodles to the dish, it will enhance the texture profile.
- No annatto: No problem! Try using food coloring to achieve the authentic look of a pancit palabok.
Storage
Store the noodles, sauce, and topping in individual airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. If the pancit is already mixed, refrigerate for up to 1 day only.
Top tip
If serving at a party, place the sauce in a crockpot and make the experience DIY. That way the food is warm and guests get to add their favorite toppings.
FAQ
Microwave in 30 second intervals.
Asian supermarkets are the best bet, especially filipino stores. Other supermarkets will have in the oriental section.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pancit Palabok:
Pancit Palabok (Easy) Red Ribbon Copycat
Equipment
- Wok
- Saucepan
- fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
Noodles
- 1 package Rice noodles bihon
Sauce
- Shrimp heads taken from the 1lb of shrimp
- 5 cups water
- 2 tablespoon Annatto seeds
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- ⅓ cup Flour
- 2 cubes Shrimp bouillon
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Toppings
- ½ lbs Shrimp peeled
- 2 heads Garlic fried
- 1 cup Vegetable oil
- Green onions garnish
- Chicharon
- 3 Hard boiled egg
- 2 Lemons wedged
Instructions
Noodles
- Prep: First soak the rice noodles in water for 15 minutes or until noodles are loosened. Drain well and set aside.
- Cook: Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a pot over medium heat, add noodles. Cook for 2 minutes. Ensure the noodles are still firm.
Toppings
- Prep: Peel the shrimp, reserve the shrimp heads, this will be used in the sauce. Chop the garlic, the more garlic the better.
- Cook: Heat the pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and oil, stirring frequently until the garlic becomes golden brown. This will take 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a strainer to remove the excess oil. Set aside for later. In the same pot where the noodles were cooked, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Place the shrimp in a fine-mesh sieve to dunk the shrimp into the boiling water until it changes to a pink color. Set the shrimp aside.
Sauce
- Prep: Chop the shrimp heads coarsely with a knife.
- Cook: In a pot combine shrimp heads and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, ensure to skim any foam that rises to the top. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the shrimp heads with a fine-mesh strainer. In a pan heat canola oil over medium heat, add in annatto seeds and cook. Stir constantly. Add in the flour to the annatto mixture until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps. Slowly add in the shrimp stock stirring vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and then simmer. Add in the shrimp bouillon and stir the mixture until it’s dissolved. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick, stir regularly.
Pancit Palabok
- Serve: Place noodles onto a serving tray or plate. Layer the sauce on the noodles. Top with chicharon, hard boiled eggs, fried garlic, shrimp, and green onions. Add lemon wedges for some extra zest to the dish.
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