Any occasion of the year, the favorite noodle recipe at our home is Palabok. There are two versions of this dish, one is the Pancit Palabok and the other in Pancit Luglog. The difference between the two is the kind of noodles to use. For the first one, the noodles are thin (bihon) and for the latter, the noodles are thick (just like in my mom's recipe). 

I tried my mother's recipe many times, I just did some twist by frying the pork after boiling it. But you can just boil it (that's totally fine) as long as it is cooked well. Ingredients may also vary depending on what you like and what is available in your place. 

Even if it's so fastidious to prepare still I love to do it especially when you get the see the final outcome. 


INGREDIENTS

 For the Noodle:                   
1 kilogram Pancit Luglog

 For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable or sunflower oil
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 medium size onion
1/4 cup smoked fish (tinapa flakes)
2 cups shrimp juice (the juice that you've set aside after boiling the shrimp for the toppings)
1 tablespoon of annatto (achuete) powder (diluted in 2 tbsp lukewarm water) or 1/2 cup of annatto seeds  soaked in 1/2cup water
1 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 - 6 tablespoons corn flour (diluted in 1/2 cup of water)
Salt to taste

 For the Toppings:
2 hard boiled egg (sliced)
300 grams boiled shrimp (peeled off / set aside the broth for the sauce)
200 grams boiled pork (sliced)
1/2 cup smoked fish (tinapa flakes)
1/2 cup pork crackling/ pork rind (crushed chicharon)
2 - 3 stems spring onion (finely chopped)
5 cloves garlic (minced and fried) 

 PROCEDURES:

  1. Soak the noodles in a water while you are cooking the sauce.
  2. Prepare all the toppings as instructed above. 
  3. In a saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté garlic, onion and shredded smoked fish.
  4. Pour the shrimp juice and simmer for three minutes. 
  5. Put the diluted annatto powder, fish sauce and pepper. Let it simmer for another 1 minute.
  6. Pour the diluted corn flour. Again let it simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to cover the back of the spoon. Set it aside. 
  7. Boil water in a large sauce pan and cook the noodles for about a minute or until the noodles are cooked. Keep it firm as you don't want it to become mushy. Drain the noodles.
  8. Put the noodle in a platter, pour the sauce and arrange the toppings. 
  9. Serve with lemon slices or calamansi. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Let's eat.