Pancit Palabok

Pancit Palabok layers noodles, orange sauce and toppings for a Filipino party dish. Vanjo Merano’s selected version uses cornstarch noodles beneath pork-and-tinapa sauce, with shrimp, Napa cabbage, boiled eggs, chicharon and scallions above.

Pork shoulder sautés in oil before fish sauce, annatto water and water start a covered simmer. A shrimp cube and tinapa flakes follow, then a flour-and-water slurry thickens the sauce and ground black pepper seasons it.

The noodles soak and drain separately. Shrimp are briefly cooked in boiling water and removed, then Napa cabbage is blanched; the soaked noodles cook in the same water before being drained onto a platter.

Warm sauce goes over the noodles, followed by the shrimp, cabbage, quartered eggs, crushed chicharon and scallions. The finished palabok is served warm, with calamansi or lime alongside for squeezing over each portion.

The sauce brings smoky tinapa flavour, while chicharon gives a contrasting crunch. Merano describes assembling the components near serving time, keeping the layered noodles and toppings central to this festive plate.