Pancit Buko Recipe

Fresh Coconut Noodles with Vegetables
Pancit Buko

Fresh coconut is used instead of noodles in this reinterpretation of the traditional pancit by Lito Dalangin at the Villa Escudero.

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) boneless chicken, sliced
• 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) pork belly, sliced
• 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) green beans, sliced into lengths
• 1/2 small carrot, peeled and sliced into lengths
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) or 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Chicken Stock or 
• 1/4 teaspoon chicken stock granules mixed with 1/2 cup (125 ml) hot water
• 4 oz (125 g) fresh medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise
• 1 cup (5 oz/150 g) fresh coconut meat, sliced into long, thin strips
• 2 leaves Chinese or Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
• Kalamansi limes or regular limes, halved, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan and stir-fry the garlic until golden brown, then add the onion and stir-fry until translucent. Add the chicken and pork slices, and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

2 Add the beans and carrot, and season with the fish sauce and pepper. Stirfry briskly for a few seconds. Add the stock and shrimp, and bring to a boil. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3 Add the coconut strips and both types of cabbage, and cook until the vegetables are done but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with limes on the side.

Serves 4–6 
Preparation time: 35 mins 
Cooking time: 15 mins

Note: Fresh young coconut has a sweet soft flesh. Slice the young coconut meat into long thin strips to look like noodles. If using an older coconut, use a wooden spoon to scoop out the flesh and grate it into thin threads to achieve the same result. Or you can buy prepared young coconut strips, also known as buko strips in bottles or cans in Filipino grocery stores.