Pancit malabon recipe – this noodle dish is unique to the Philippines. The main stand-out feature of this dish is its orange sauce. Usually, the dish consists of noodles topped with hard-boiled eggs, shrimp, pork rinds, and other garnishes. But there are different optional toppings with this dish. What makes the sauce of this dish the bright color it is, is due to the mixture of achuete (annatto seeds), shrimp broth, and flavor seasoned with patis (fish sauce for a complex umami flavor) and taba ng talangka (crab fat).
The word pancit is a general term for many traditional Filipino noodle dishes. Depending on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingredients, there are various types and name bases you can list. Among the different noodle dishes, pancit malabon is one of the simpler recipes. If you are interested in trying the dish, here is one pancit malabon recipe to try.
Pancit Malabon
Ingredients
- 1 lb thick rice noodles
- 1/2 lb pork belly boiled and sliced
- 1/2 cup annatto seeds diluted in 1/2 cup water also known as annatto water
- 3/4 cup shrimp juice
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce patis
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 medium-sized onion minced
- 1/4 cup pork rinds chicharon pounded
- 1/2 lb shrimp shelled cooked, and halved lengthwise
- 1/4 lb adobong pusit sliced
- 1/2 cup pork rinds chicharon pounded
- 1 cup napa cabbage pechay baguio chopped then blanched
- 1 piece lemon quartered
- 3/4 cup tinapa flakes
- 3 pieces hard boiled eggs sliced
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted garlic
Instructions
Process for the Sauce
- Sauté the minced garlic and onion.
- Add chopped boiled pork and cook for 3 minutes before adding in fish sauce and ground black pepper.
- Stir the mixture well then add shrimp juice and annatto water.
- Let the mixture boil before adding the pounded pork rinds (chicharon) then stir.
- Once mixed, let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then turn off heat.
Preparing the Noodles
- If you are using package noodles, follow the instructions on how to prepare and cook them. For traditional noodles, an overnight soaking is needed before cooking.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked noodles and sauce.
- Transfer the sauce and noodle mixture in a wide serving plate and arrange the tinapa flakes, eggs, parsley, garlic, and cabbage on top. You can serve the calamansi and lemon on top or on the side if you prefer.
History of Pancit Malabon
This noodle dish originates from Malabon, Metro Manila, Philippines and dates back as far as the 1800s. During that time, the dish was called “pancit balame.” When the 1900s hit, it earned its current name from Manileños stopping for food to and from location shootings. Since Malabon was the only place at the time dishing out this pancit type, it is how it gained the name “Pancit Malabon.” Another unique thing about the noodles in the dish is that the dry, firm, fat white noodles were made of 70% rice and 30% flour.
If you liked this Filipino dish, then you may also like our “Pork Bistek Recipe” or “Lechon Paksiw Recipe.” For other types of noodle dishes, check out “Vegan Pancit,” “Chicken Sotanghon,” and “Chicken Mami.”
