Special Pansit Palabok for the Special Mom

We step up to the tasks of keeping each one in the household happy, from the husband to the babe. We try to impress in-laws, or at least give them reason not to like us. We usually wake up earlier to prepare a hearty breakfast, perhaps of garlic fried rice and sunny side ups. We cook, caring about what the rest of the family would like to eat because we want them to eat well. We try to keep the house clean and orderly so that it becomes a place our loved-ones would love to live in. We offer our embrace to crying children and our hands to husbands, who need a bit of tenderness.

We want to do everything and we’ve been successful so far. Our homes could literally crumble down if we stopped doing what we are doing. Or so we thought. Kids, they grow up and become more self-reliant. Husbands, given the chance, could be good cooks and caregivers. They can wash clothes and clean up, too. And it’s not only because it’s Mother’s Day. It’s because we need to look after ourselves, too. We, selfless creatures, deserve every now and then to simply enjoy and worry about nothing. We certainly don’t need Mother’s Day to remind us that we need to lift our feet and get the relaxation we need. We don’t need special occasions to know that we are much loved and honored by our family (although fresh fragrant flowers sound nice…). But of course, today is a really good reason to revel in the idea that we are queens of the home and that a slice or two of our favorite sweets can make this day just perfect.

But we know ourselves that well, that even if it’s Mother’s day, we still can’t keep ourselves away from the kitchen. Here’s a recipe we cherish at Mama Sita’s kitchen, reserved for special people like you.

Special Pancit Palabok (Rice Noodles With Shrimp Gravy) Makes 17 servings

INGREDIENTS: For the sauce:

• 9 tbsp Cooking Oil (135 mL)
• ½ cup garlic, peeled and crushed (80 g)
• 2 cups Deboned tinapa (smoked fish) flakes (180 g)
• 3 cups boiled pork, cut into strips (300 g)
• 1 pouch Mama Sita’s palabok mix dissolved in (171 g)
• 9 cups stock, set aside from boiling pork, or water (2.25L)

For the bihon (rice noodles):

• 2 L water: enough to completely submerge the noodles (8 cups)
• 2 tbsp oil (30 mL)
• 2 packs bihon (rice noodles) (380 g)

For the topping:

• 6 pcs hard boiled eggs, sliced (300 g)
• 3/4 cup garlic, crushed and fried until golden (90 g)
• ½ cup dahon ng sibuyas (spring onions), chopped (30 g)
• 1 cup chicharon (pork cracklings), crushed (60 g)
• 17 pcs calamansi, sliced crosswise or lemon wedges (150 g)
• patis (fish sauce) to taste

Make the sauce: 1. In a wok or kawali, heat oil and sauté garlic, half of the tinapa flakes and boiled pork. Stir in Mama Sita’s Palabok Mix and water. 2. Lower the heat and simmer until sauce is thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the bihon: 1. Soak noodles in water for 5 minutes. Drain. 2. Bring water and cooking oil to a rolling boil. 3. Drop in the noodles and leave for 3 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water until the noodles are at room temperature.

Assemble the Palabok: 1. Arrange the noodles on a round platter. Pour the sauce over and garnish with the toppings: pork cracklings, hard-boiled eggs, toasted garlic, chopped spring onions, remaining tinapa flakes, and calamansi or lemon wedges.

2. Serve with patis.

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