Pancit Sotanghon Guisado

Photo: Skip To Malou

Ingredients

1 package of sotanghon (vermicelli noodles)

1 stick of carrot, sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

1/2 cabbage, sliced

1 pc chicken breast (boiled, then sliced thinly)

4 pcs shrimp balls sliced

2 cups chicken broth

dried sliced mushrooms (soaked for about 20 mintues, then drain it)

season with oyster sauce and soy sauce

salt

garlc, minced

onions, sliced

Preparation

In a wok, saute some garlic and onions, add chicken and shrimp balls. Add the veggies. I son't want my veggies to be overcooked, so set it aside as soon as it is ready along with chicken and shrimp balls.

On the same wok, pour 2 cups of chicken stock. Now here's my secret, I set aside some boiling hot chicken stock for use later (if needed). When the stock is boiling in the wok, add the sotanghon noodles. While some people soak their noodles in water before cooking, I don't follow this rule. Instead, I cook the sotanghon in the boiling stock without presoaking it. Within minutes the noodles are cooked. The noodles absorb the chicken stock quickly, when you see that the stock is absorbed, check the firmness of the noodles. If it needs to be cooked more and all the stock has been absorbed, add more boiling chicken stock (which you previously set aside). Let it cook 1-2 minutes. However, if it's already al dente, take out the excess stock. You don't want the noodles to absorb more as this will make it soggy.

Another trick is to get the noodles out of the wok right away. This will prevent you from overcooking the noodles. Now we're ready to garnish.

For garsnishing, use the stir fried chicken/shrimp balls and veggies. Top it with chicharon (crispy pork rinds) green onions and toasted garlic.

Serve with fish sauce, lemon or calamansi... enjoy!