Noodles with Shrimp and Tofu

Noodles with Shrimp and Tofu

Initially, this dish might be confused with spaghetti, but it’s really a unique dish that is bright orange in color and has the distinct aroma of cooked shrimp. This impressive dish known as Pancit Luglug or Pancit Palabok depending on the region in which it is made uses cornstarch noodles. When cooked, these noodles don’t last long so they need to be consumed the day they are prepared. Dried rice vermicelli may be used in place of cornstarch noodles.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (250 g) fresh shrimp, preferably with heads and tails on

2 tablespoons oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a knife and minced

1 onion, minced

3 cups (750 ml) water

1/2 cup (75 g) diced pork shoulder or loin

One 3 1/2-oz (100-g) package deep-fried pressed tofu (tokwa), diced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (125 ml) annatto water (page 19) (optional)

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

8 cups (2 liters) water (for boiling noodles)

16 oz (500 g) cornstarch noodles (or rice vermicelli)

2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges

2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (green part only)

4 limes, quartered

One 3-oz (75-g) bag fried pork rinds (chicharon), crushed (optional)

Serves 4 

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Direction:

1. Twist and pull the heads off the shrimp. Shell and devein but leave the tails on. Set the cleaned shrimp tails aside. Mash the shrimp heads in a mortar or bowl. Pour the 3 cups (750 ml) of water, a little at time, while pressing the heads and shells against the side of the mortar or bowl with the back of a wooden spoon. Strain the shrimp liquid and set aside. Discard the mashed heads.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Transfer the garlic and onion to a bowl and set aside.
3. To the same skillet, over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the diced pork for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and tofu and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the salt and the sautéed garlic and onion. Stir to combine and set aside.
4. To make the shrimp sauce, combine the reserved shrimp liquid, annatto water, if using, fish sauce, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens, stirring frequently to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
5. Bring 8 cups (2 liters) of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions or until soft (about 7 minutes). Lightly rinse with cold running water to keep the noodles from sticking together. Drain well and transfer the noodles to a serving platter.
6. To serve, pour the shrimp sauce over the noodles and top with the pork mixture, hard-boiled eggs, and green onion. Squeeze some lime juice over the noodle mixture and sprinkle crushed fried pork rind. Garnish with lime quarters and serve hot.