Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (2024)

  • Pork
  • Filipino
  • Stovetop Noodles
  • Rice Noodles

This classic Filipino noodle dish is packed with pork, chicken, shrimp, and layer upon layer of seafood flavor.

By

Yana Gilbuena

Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (1)

Yana Gilbuena

Yana Gilbuena was born in the Philippines. She's a chef that educates others about Filipino food and culture through pop-up dinners, recipes, and cookbooks. She published her own cookbook in 2019, No Forks Given.

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Why It Works

  • Marinating the pork, an optional step, makes it more flavorful and enhances surface browning during roasting.
  • Using head-on shrimp infuses even more flavor into the sauce.
  • Making smart use of all the ingredients means you can whip up a quick stock for the sauce with the same ingredients that end up in the final dish.

This Filipino noodle dish is a seafood- and pork-lover's dream. The rich, thick sauce is layered with flavor, starting with a base of chicken-and-shrimp stock, and followed by crab paste, the juices from shrimp shells and heads, and flaked smoked fish. The whole thing is spooned on top of springy rice noodles and topped with roast pork belly, shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, and a party of garnishes, including fried garlic, crushed fried pork rinds, scallions, and citrus wedges.

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Recipe Details

Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe

Prep30 mins

Cook80 mins

Active2 hrs

Marinating Time9 hrs

Total10 hrs 50 mins

Serves4to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Pork Belly:

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) plus 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45ml) fish sauce, divided

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

  • One 13.5-ounce (398ml) can coconut milk

  • 1 pound (450g) skin-on, boneless pork belly

For the Stock and Sauce:

  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced, plus 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed, divided

  • 2 scallions, green tops thinly sliced crosswise for garnish and white parts reserved for stock

  • One 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, bruised with the spine of a knife

  • 1 red onion, finely diced, trimmings reserved for stock

  • 2 (about 12 ounces; 340g) skinless chicken thighs

  • 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, preferably head-on

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15ml) canola or other neutral oil, divided

  • 3 1/2 teaspoons annatto powder

  • One 8-ounce bottle Filipino crab paste

  • 1/2 cup (3 ounces)galunggongortinapa(Filipino smoked fish), flaked and any large bones discarded

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a lump-free slurry

  • Kosher salt

To Serve:

  • One 16-ounce pack (or two 8-ounce packs) thick rice or cornstarch noodle sticks

  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges, for garnish

  • 4 calamansi or 2 lemons, cut into wedges (see note)

  • Fried garlic, for garnish

  • 1 cup crushed pork cracklings (chicharron)

Directions

  1. For the Pork Belly: In a zipper-lock bag, combine 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce, sugar, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and coconut milk; seal bag and shake well to combine. Add pork belly to bag, carefully press out air, then seal and refrigerate overnight. Remove pork belly from bag, pat dry, then allow to air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Alternatively, if you don't have time to marinate the pork overnight, simply brush the belly with fish sauce and season with black pepper, then proceed.

  2. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In an overproof skillet or on a baking sheet lined with foil, roast the pork belly until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F (71°C) when inserted into the center, about 45 minutes.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (3)

  3. Increase oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) and return the pork to the oven until skin is browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then slice pork into 1/2 inch thick slices. Reserve for serving.

  4. Meanwhile, for the Stock and Sauce: Fill a Dutch oven or large pot with 4 quarts (4 liters) water. Add the 4 crushed cloves of garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and reserved onion scraps. Bring to a simmer, then add chicken thighs and cook at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. Remove chicken, let cool, then shred meat and discard bones.

  5. Set up an ice water bath in a large bowl. Add shrimp to simmering stock and cook until just cooked through and pink all over, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to ice bath and let cool. Remove from ice bath.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (4)

  6. Shell shrimp and remove heads. Working in a large mortar and pestle, crush shrimp shells and heads until juices are extracted. Strain, reserving shrimp juices. Return shells and heads to the stock and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Keep shrimp chilled until ready to serve.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (5)

  7. Strain stock, discarding solids. Reserve 1 quart (1 liter) stock for the sauce below, and freeze the rest for future use.

  8. In a clean Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup (60ml) oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic and diced onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in annatto powder, followed by the crab paste, 1 quart (1 liter) reserved stock, and reserved shrimp juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (6)

  9. Stir in the flaked fish, followed by the cornstarch slurry. Return to a simmer, then cook until sauce thickens. Add the remaining fish sauce in 1 tablespoon increments until it tastes well seasoned to you (you may not need all of it). Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set sauce aside, stir in reserved chicken, then allow to cool slightly.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (7)

  10. In a large pot of salted boiling water, add remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil. Add noodles and cook, stirring gently to break them up, until softened and beginning to turn slightly clear, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander set in a sink, then run cold water all over the noodles to rinse and chill; toss noodles as you rinse them to ensure they're not stuck together. Set aside to drain fully.

    Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (8)

  11. Pile the noodles on a large serving dish. Spoon sauce all over. Arrange reserved shrimp and pork belly slices on top, and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs and citrus wedges. Sprinkle all over with reserved sliced scallion greens, fried garlic, and crushed pork rinds. Serve.

Special Equipment

Dutch oven, mortar and pestle

Notes

You can find the specialty Filipino ingredients at well-stocked Asian and Filipino markets; some are also available online. Fresh calamansi can be very difficult to find, so substitute lemon if you can't track it down.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The sauce, shrimp, and pork can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days; gently rewarm sauce and pork before serving (the sauce need not be hot, but you don't want it refrigerator-cold either).

Read More

  • Pancit Bihon (Filipino Rice Noodles)
  • Sizzling Sisig (Filipino Crispy Pork with Eggs)
  • Filipino Food 101: Recipes to Get You Started
  • A Comprehensive Guide to Buying Better Shrimp
  • The Serious Eats Guide to Shopping for Asian Noodles
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
801Calories
45g Fat
37g Carbs
63g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories801
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g57%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 316mg105%
Sodium 1723mg75%
Total Carbohydrate 37g13%
Dietary Fiber 5g16%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 63g
Vitamin C 40mg198%
Calcium 187mg14%
Iron 4mg21%
Potassium 1070mg23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles With Smoky Pork and Seafood Sauce) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is pancit palabok sauce made of? ›

What is palabok sauce made of? Traditionally, a palabok sauce is made with shrimp stock, some pork broth, ground pork, and brightly hued from annatto (ahuete/atsuete) seeds. Much like a ragu, but without the tomatoes, the sauce has a base of onions or shallot and garlic.

What is a substitute for tinapa in palabok? ›

Substitute for Tinapa

Tinapa, or smoked fish, adds a unique smoky flavor to Palabok. Use other smoked fish varieties like smoked mackerel or herring if you want a substitute. Alternatively, you can experiment with liquid smoke or smoked paprika to achieve a smoky flavor without tapa.

What is the difference between pancit palabok and Malabon? ›

It is very similar to pancit palabok, differing in the use of thicker noodles, the use of taba ng talangka in the sauce, and the common addition of mussels and oysters. An early version of pancit Malabon, known as pancit labong, uses bamboo shoots instead of noodles.

Does palabok contain pork? ›

This is a delicious and traditional pancit palabok recipe. It's a Filipino dish of pork, shrimp, a savory seafood and pork meat sauce, with lots of toppings, and of course on a bed of long noodles for a long life!

Does palabok spoil easily? ›

Normally, the delightful noodle dish would last for up to five days when kept in an air-tight container and put in a freezer. (You can just them reheat it over a pan or using a microwave). But based on experience, palabok spoils rather quickly, especially when the weather is hotter than usual.

Is palabok and cornstarch the same? ›

Palabok Pancit Luglug is a special ethnic noodle dish in Filippino cuisine. The noodle threads used for this dish are made up of cornstarch and thus they are called cornstarch noodles.

What is the English of Palabok? ›

Palabok noodles, or cornstarch noodles, are found in Filipino supermarkets and are often labeled “special palabok cornstarch noodles.” If you can't find them, use thick rice flour noodles, also called rice stick noodles.

What is the best partner with Palabok? ›

It is in our culture to have some bread or rice cake when eating noodles. It could be a piece of white bread, Pandesal (Philippine breakfast bread) but the best partner is the "Puto".

What does pancit mean in Filipino? ›

In the Filipino language, pansít is the generic word for noodles. Different kinds of noodles can be found in Filipino supermarkets which can then be cooked at home.

Does Jollibee palabok have pork in the Philippines? ›

😋 😍 Enjoy this saucy and tasty favorite, now also topped with Plant-based Cracklings! 🌱 🕚 6 AM - 9 PM 📍 GF, Festive Walk Mall #FestiveWalkIloilo #MegaworldLifestyleMalls. How much?

What kind of noodles does Jollibee use for palabok? ›

Bihon, or rice flour noodles, are the noodles you usually associate with this style of palabok. For this dish, the thin rice noodles that are similar to thin spaghetti noodles, not the flat variety, are the noodles to use. What makes this unique among other pancit is the sauce.

How long does pancit last in the fridge? ›

Make-Ahead and Storage

Pancit bihon can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

What is pancit sauce made of? ›

Soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, ground black pepper, calamansi juice, water, chicken bouillon cube: This will form the basis for our pancit sauce.

What is palabok mix made of? ›

Ingredients. Cornstarch, Rice Flour, Salt, Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Monosodium Glutamate, Garlic Powder, Cane Sugar, Spices and Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate.

What is Jollibee palabok made of? ›

Despite the many different kinds of pancit in the country, palabok is easily recognized by specific trademark characteristics: its thin noodles with yellow-orange sauce. Palabok sauce is usually a combination of ground pork, shrimp stock, and annatto powder, giving that palabok sauce a nice and vibrant orange color.

What type of mixture is palabok? ›

Answer: Palabok is a heterogeneous mixture.

References

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