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Pancit Estacion of Cavite

This version of Cavite's Pancit Estacion is a noodle dish that has a little of everything. Crisp, fresh mung bean sprouts or togue to Filipinos, define this entree. Then, add smoked fish flakes, shrimps, crunchy crumbs of chicharron (pork rinds), hard-boiled egg slices, scallions, garlic and onions. These are all spread on a bed of thick, achuete (annatto) sauce and flavored with fish sauce and calamansi (or lemons). This was inspired from a recipe on Republic of Taste: The Untold Stories of Cavite Cuisine by Ige Ramos (Manila, Philippines). Serves 4.
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Filipino Pancit Noodles Estacion
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 333kcal
Author: Asian in America

Ingredients

For the Palabok Sauce:

  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 pound fresh boiled shrimps boil fresh shrimps in 1 to 2 cups water for 8 to minutes to cook; use discarded heads for extracting shrimp juice
  • 1/4 cup shrimp head juice extracted from boiling shrimp heads in water
  • 1/4 cup achuete (annatto) water from soaking 2 teaspoons achuete in warm water
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup chicken broth at room temperature
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons patis (fish sauce)
  • 1 whole egg beaten

For the Noodles:

  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 12 pieces shallots, chopped fine
  • 2 whole garlic cloves minced
  • 250 g. dried bihon noodles
  • 250 g. togue (mung bean sprouts)
  • 1 cup chicken broth

For the final Pancit Estacion assembly:

  • 1/2 cups salted peanuts crushed coarsely
  • 1/2 of a whole white or yellow onion sauteed
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled, minced, sauteed
  • 1/2 cup crumbled chicharron (pork rinds) crushed
  • 1/2 cup flaked tinapa (smoked fish) bones and skin removed
  • 1 to 2 stalks scallions sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 whole hard-boiled eggs peeled, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

To cook the Palabok sauce:

  • In a medium-sized skillet, over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil. When oil is hot enough, saute the garlic and onions for 1 to 2 minutes till brown. Do not burn the garlic, it affects the outcome of the dish.
    Pour the shrimp heads liquid. Mix and let the mixture simmer for 1 minute.
  • Pour the achuete (annatto) water and chicken broth. Season with patis (fish sauce). Let the mixture boil in about 5 minutes.
  • Lower the heat to a simmer. Add the diluted cornstarch (now a liquid) to the sauce in the skillet. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes till orange sauce becomes thick and coats the spoon.
    Very slowly, pour the beaten egg into the mixture while continuously stirring. You will create a threadlike design of the egg in the sauce. Take away from the heat. Set aside.

To cook the Noodles:

  • Separately, in a large wok or skillet, add the oil. Saute the garlic and shallots for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the chicken broth. Add the bihon noodles. Cook till the liquid is absorbed by the noodles. This will take about 5 minutes. Mix well.
    Add the togue (bean sprouts). Mix well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes more. Set aside.

To assemble the Pancit Estacion:

  • Plate the cooked noodles and bean sprouts on a serving platter. Mix in the sauteed onions and garlic.
    Pour almost all the palabok sauce on top. Leave a little extra sauce for later when the dish has to be reheated.
    To the noodle dish, add the remaining ingredients on top of the noodles and sauce: Boiled shrimps, Tinapa flakes, peanuts, chicharron. Season with ground black pepper.
    Garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs, calamansi (or lemon) and scallions. Serve warm.

Cook's comments:

  • In the cookbook recipe, the author added crushed kropek (fish crackers) and sliced, fresh kamias (bilimbi) to the topping.
    I did not have both ingredients at the time of cooking. But feel free to add if you prefer and if available in your area.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg