Palabok
Palabok is a festive Filipino noodle dish built for sharing — thin rice noodles drenched in a savory orange shrimp sauce colored with annatto, then loaded with toppings like sliced boiled egg, crushed chicharon, and flaked smoked fish. Squeeze calamansi over the top just before digging in for the dish’s signature bright finish.
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Instructions
- Boil the shrimp shells in water for 15-20 minutes to make a quick shrimp broth. Strain and set aside.
- Soak the rice noodles in warm water until pliable, then drain and briefly blanch in boiling water. Set aside.
- In a pan, saute garlic and onion, then add ground pork and cook until browned. Stir in the fish sauce.
- Pour in the shrimp broth and annatto powder, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken into a glossy orange sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook just until pink, about 2 minutes.
- Arrange the noodles on a platter and ladle the sauce generously over the top.
- Top with sliced eggs, crushed chicharon, tinapa flakes, and green onions. Serve with calamansi on the side.
Cook's Tip
Blanch the noodles only briefly and toss the sauce on right before serving; palabok noodles sit in a thick sauce, so if they are fully cooked ahead of time they turn mushy by the time the dish reaches the table.