Filipino food may not be a mainstream cuisine in the US, at least not yet. But if there’s a Filipino dish that non-Filipinos could name, they would usually answer pancit (or adobo). Pancit is a noodle dish that most people in the US have grown familiar with. So when I was invited to do a cooking demo at Pasadena’s “Taste of South Lake“, I thought it would be identifiable to showcase Pancit Palabok.
Pancit Palabok may not be as popular as its pancit counterpart, Pancit Bihon Guisado. But I chose Palabok because it has been my favorite dish since I was a kid. I would enjoy its savory, creamy sauce, and soft, tender noodles as an afternoon snack or merienda from our neighborhood eatery or karinderya. My mom would also make it for special occasions like birthdays and town fiestas. Back then, I didn’t care for the recipe; I just wanted to eat it. Now that I’m vegan, I’m all about the recipe! My mom was more than happy to teach me her version (which was the one I featured on my YouTube video). Later on, I’ve discovered yet another way to veganize Pancit Palabok using more whole-based ingredients.
The second version, which was the one I featured at the demo, does not call for vegetable broth and corn starch. Rather, it calls for ingredients like potato flour, nutritional yeast, and Indian black salt (or kala namak). It also features a vegan chicharon recipe using a type of mushroom called snow fungus (the name may not sound appetizing, but trust me on this). After many attempts and tweaks, I think I’ve finally found the right balance for the newly improved Pancit Palabok. It still has the essence of the traditional flavor but with a new flair. I hope you’ll like it!
- 1 package of Excellent Bihon rice sticks noodles (Excellent is the name of the brand!) (16 oz) (see note below) or
- 1 package of Super Q corn starch noodles (8oz or half of 16 oz) (see note below)
- 6 cups water
- ¾ cup potato flour (not potato starch!)
- ½ cup nutritional yeast (see note below)
- 2 (1/3 oz.) packet Mama Sita annatto powder whisked and dissolved in ¼ cup water (see note below)
- 1½ - 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon indian black salt/kala namak (see note below)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- a pinch of black pepper
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or enough to cover the base of the pan)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and minced
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- ¾ cup julienne/cut into matchsticks carrots
- ¾ cup thinly sliced diagonally green beans
- 1½ cup fried tofu cubes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon minced roasted or fried garlic (see note below)
- 3-5 kalamansi citrus, cut in half (or any citrus fruit of choice)
- 2-3 tablespoons vegan chicharon
- Remove noodles from package and submerge noodles in a tray of warm water for 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour all ingredients for broth in a medium size pot. Mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling. Turn off heat.
- Heat a medium size pan over medium heat. Pour oil and once hot enough, saute garlic, follow with onions. Saute until onions have turned soft and translucent.
- Add carrots, green beans, and tofu. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3-5 minutes then turn off heat.
- Pour sautéed vegetables into the pot of broth. Mix well. Adjust sea salt and black salt to taste. It should taste more savory than preferred (to balance with the bland noodles).
- Speaking of noodles, boil a medium size pot with approximately 6-8 cups of water. Remove noodles from tray then transfer and blanch it in the boiling pot of water. Quickly drain noodles using a colander.
To assemble:
- Place noodles on a serving plate. Pour about 4 ladle-full of sauce and mix to fully incorporate.
- Generously pour more sauce, this time only on the center of noodles.
- Sprinkle toppings if desired (citrus slices on the side).
- Serve warm.
While preparing and cutting the vegetables, you could fry the tofu cubes on a pan over high heat.
You could find Excellent rice sticks or Super Q noodles, Mama Sita annatto powder, and Snow Fungus at most Asian grocery stores or online (click brand names to take you to the amazon shopping link).
You could find nutritional yeast at health food stores like Rainbow Grocery, Whole Foods, or online.
You could find indian black salt at most Indian grocery stores and health food stores like Whole foods, or online.
When frying the garlic for palabok topping, simply fry in oil until browned then quickly turn off the heat.
If you rather use potato starch, mix 4 tablespoons potato starch in ¼ cup vegetable broth before adding it to the pot.
I had a blast with the cooking demo at “Taste of South Lake”. At first I was worried because I was the first one on the lineup. But few minutes before the demo, a crowd started forming. Everyone paid close attention, even asked questions. And when it was my turn to ask them questions to review the recipe (for a prize of Astig Vegan tote bags), they all answered the questions correctly!
Afterward, I gave away samples of the Palabok (as well as vegan Isaw and kalamansi citrus). Everybody stood up to form a line. It even lured some of the festival goers who were just walking by. Unfortunately, we ran out of samples for the passersby. Hopefully, they’re checking this post right now so they could recreate the dish at home.
Thank you to all those who attended my demo, and to my friend Rosie, at @rose_petalz and my boyfriend Chris, at @ssfbahi for going with me on a road trip and helping me with everything. I could not have done it without you! And thank you to the organizers who believed in me and invited me to this wonderful event.
With the new recipe posted, I hope everyone could give this improved version a try and have a deeper connection with the familiar dish that is Pancit Palabok.
(Note: The product links are associated to my amazon associates account, which helps run this blog. You may or may not buy the products. Thank you for your support!)
The post How to Make Vegan Pancit Palabok (Newly Improved Recipe) (Gluten-Free) appeared first on ASTIG Vegan.