filipinodinner

Pancit Palabok

Name: Pancit Palabok
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: filipino
Ingredients: 400 g thin rice noodles (bihon); 200 g small shrimps (shells reserved for stock); 150 g ground pork; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tbsp annatto powder (dissolved in 2 tbsp oil); 3 tbsp fish sauce; 500 ml shrimp stock (from boiling shrimp shells); 3 tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in water); 3 hard-boiled eggs (sliced); 80 g crushed chicharon (pork crackling); 3 stalks spring onion (sliced); 2 limes (for serving)

A festive Filipino noodle dish — thin rice noodles topped with a golden shrimp-and-pork sauce, crushed chicharon, shrimps, eggs, and spring onions.

Prep

30 min

Cook

30 min

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

★★★★★

4.8(412 ratings)

#noodles#shrimp#Filipino#festive#rice noodles

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About This Recipe

Pancit Palabok is the noodle dish of Filipino celebrations — a golden mound of thin rice noodles buried under a rich, sunset-coloured shrimp and pork sauce, crowned with crushed chicharon, hard-boiled eggs, and spring onions. The combination of textures and flavours — silky noodles, savoury sauce, crunchy pork crackling — makes it one of the most festive and spectacular dishes in Filipino cuisine.

Ingredients

Serves 6

400 gthin rice noodles (bihon)
200 gsmall shrimps(shells reserved for stock)
150 gground pork
3 clovesgarlic(minced)
2 tbspannatto powder(dissolved in 2 tbsp oil)
3 tbspfish sauce
500 mlshrimp stock(from boiling shrimp shells)
3 tbspcornstarch(dissolved in water)
3hard-boiled eggs(sliced)
80 gcrushed chicharon (pork crackling)
3 stalksspring onion(sliced)
2limes(for serving)

Instructions

1
Make shrimp stock
Boil shrimp shells in 700 ml water 15 min. Strain.
2
Make sauce
Sauté garlic; add pork, cook through. Add annatto oil, fish sauce, and shrimp stock. Simmer 10 min. Thicken with cornstarch slurry. Add shrimps; cook 3 min.
3
Soak noodles
Soak rice noodles in hot water 10 min until softened. Drain.
4
Plate
Arrange noodles on a large platter. Pour sauce over generously.
5
Top
Garnish with egg slices, chicharon, spring onion, and lime wedges.

Pro Tips

→
Prepare all toppings before cooking — once the sauce is done, assembly should happen quickly for the best presentation.
→
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
→
Mise en place pays for itself: chop, measure and pre-mix everything before the heat goes on, especially for any step that moves fast.
→
Read the recipe through once before starting — knowing what's coming prevents the small timing mistakes that compound into bigger ones.

Variations

•
Add tinapa (smoked fish) as an additional topping
•
Use oyster sauce for a richer sauce base
•
Top with fried garlic for extra crunch
•
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Store sauce and noodles separately. Sauce keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Assemble fresh — the noodles become soggy if dressed too early.

History & Origin

Pancit palabok is deeply rooted in Filipino noodle culture, which reflects Chinese culinary influence through centuries of trade. The words 'pancit' comes from the Chinese Hokkien dialect meaning 'convenient food'. Palabok refers to the golden annatto-coloured sauce that defines the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is annatto?

A natural food colouring from achiote seeds — it gives palabok its signature golden-orange colour and mild earthy flavour.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.

What can I substitute if I don't have all the ingredients?

Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.

How do I know it's authentic?

Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving · 6 servings total

Calories480kcal

Protein28g

Carbohydrates62g

Fat14g

Fiber1g

Protein28g

Carbs62g

Fat14g

Time Summary

Prep time30 min

Cook time30 min

Total time60 min

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About This Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 6

400 gthin rice noodles (bihon)

200 gsmall shrimps(shells reserved for stock)

150 gground pork

3 clovesgarlic(minced)

2 tbspannatto powder(dissolved in 2 tbsp oil)

3 tbspfish sauce

500 mlshrimp stock(from boiling shrimp shells)

3 tbspcornstarch(dissolved in water)

3hard-boiled eggs(sliced)

80 gcrushed chicharon (pork crackling)

3 stalksspring onion(sliced)

2limes(for serving)

Instructions

Make shrimp stock

Boil shrimp shells in 700 ml water 15 min. Strain.

Make sauce

Sauté garlic; add pork, cook through. Add annatto oil, fish sauce, and shrimp stock. Simmer 10 min. Thicken with cornstarch slurry. Add shrimps; cook 3 min.

Soak noodles

Soak rice noodles in hot water 10 min until softened. Drain.

Plate

Arrange noodles on a large platter. Pour sauce over generously.

Top

Garnish with egg slices, chicharon, spring onion, and lime wedges.

Pro Tips

→

Prepare all toppings before cooking — once the sauce is done, assembly should happen quickly for the best presentation.

→

Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.

→

Mise en place pays for itself: chop, measure and pre-mix everything before the heat goes on, especially for any step that moves fast.

→

Read the recipe through once before starting — knowing what's coming prevents the small timing mistakes that compound into bigger ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is annatto?

A natural food colouring from achiote seeds — it gives palabok its signature golden-orange colour and mild earthy flavour.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.