Pancit Palabok

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) of rice noodles
• 1 pound of ground pork
• 1 pound of shrimps, heads and shells removed
• 1 small-sized onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of annatto powder
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled then minced
• 4 cups of water (or shrimp broth)
• 2 shrimp bouillon cubes
• 2 cans (10 ounces each) of cream of chicken (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (patis)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 2 cups green onions, chopped
• 2 cups chicharon baboy or pork rinds, crushed
• 1/2 cup tinapa flakes (smoked fish)
• 1/8 cup of fried minced garlic
• 2 lemons, sliced

Instructions

1. Using a large pot or bowl, soak the rice noodles in water for about 10 minutes.
2. Drain the water from the pot and set the noodles aside.
3. Now place the soaked noodles in boiling water for about a minute or until they have softened then drain the water from the noodles again.
4. Place the drained noodles in a large bowl.
5. Now add the ground pork to a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.
6. Stir and cook the meat for about 7 minutes or until the meat has browned.
7. Transfer the ground pork to a strainer that's been placed over a medium sized bowl to drain the excess oil from the meat then set it aside.
8. In a small bowl, combine the 4 cups water (or shrimp broth), shrimp bouillon, and annatto powder.
9. Stir well until the powder has dissolved and the water has an orange color.
10. Add the cooking oil to the same large pan or wok you used earlier, still over medium-high heat, then briefly saute the garlic followed by onions.
11. Now add the shrimp to the pan and continue to saute until the outside of the shrimp turns pink in color.
12. Pour the annatto mixture into the pan and stir until well blended.
13. Now add the cream of chicken to the pan and continue to stir until well blended (optional).
14. Bring this mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
15. Let this mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
16. Add the fish sauce and ground black pepper then stir spread the seasonings throughout the sauce.
17. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the sauce while stirring until the sauce becomes thick.
18. Note that you may not need to use all of the cornstarch mixture to get the desired thickness.
19. Turn the heat off.
20. To serve, put some of the rice noodles on a serving plate.
21. Scoop then pour some of the sauce on top on top of the noodles.
22. Sprinkle the top of the sauce with the crushed chicharon, fried garlic, tinapa, green onions, and sliced egg.
23. Serve with a slice of lemon.

The cream of chicken is optional and really only needed if you don't intend to use the shrimp broth to make the sauce. To make the shrimp broth, you need to use whole shrimp. You take the leftover shrimp heads then boil and slightly crush them to make the shrimp flavored broth. If you use the shrimp broth, you really don't need the cream of chicken when cooking the sauce. Just more water or maybe one can of cream of chicken. Also if you want a shorter noodle when serving, simply cut the noodles using kitchen scissors while they are soaking in water.