Sotanghon Guisado

To celebrate a Filipino birthday, it is a must to have noodles and the Filipino kitchen repertoire for noodles is a treasure trove. To inject being Asian, I have chosen to use the Korean glass noodle for this much loved noodle dish.

Ingredients:

  • 500 grams Korean glass noodles (vermicelli) – sweet potato noodles or sotanghon – soak in tap water for 30 minutes; cut into 12-inch lengths and drain
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil
  • 250 grams shrimps or very small prawns – peel; if shrimps, leave whole; prawns, peel, devein and cut into 1-inch slices or slice in half lengthwise
  • 250 grams pork liempo – pork belly – slice 1/2-inch by 1/4-inch pieces
  • 250 grams chicken thigh – slice 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons anato juice – soak 1 tablespoon anato seeds with 1 teaspoon lye water; mix well and then pour in 1/4 cup boiling hot water; leave to soak for ½ hour
  • 10 grams dried wood ear mushroom (tenga ng daga) – soak in hot water and slice julienne
  • 4 cups chicken broth – warmed
  • 2 pieces chicken broth cubes or 2 tablespoons powdered chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (to make it spicier – 1 teaspoon Jabanero sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Garnish

  • 2 eggs and make an omelet – slice into thin strips or 1 doz. cooked quail eggs
  • 1/4 cup spring onion – chopped

Procedure:

  1. Use a medium sized wok; put over medium-low heat. Warm pot for 2 minutes.
  2. Pour oil into wok.
  3. Sauté garlic till light gold.
  4. Add in the onions and continue to sauté till the onions are translucent.
  5. Pour in the anato juice and turn flame to low.
  6. Continue sautéing till the anato juice does not smell metallic; around 10 minutes.
  7. Add the fish sauce and sauté for 1 minute.
  8. Turn flame to medium.
  9. Add the pork and chicken pieces and sauté for 5 minutes.
  10. Add in the shrimp and continue sautéing for 1 minute.
  11. Add the wood ear mushroom.
  12. Pour in chicken broth and chicken cubes and turn flame to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
  13. Season with patis, pepper and salt.
  14. Simmer for another 5 minutes and adjust taste.
  15. Place the drained noodles in the mixed broth, cover and simmer till the noodles are done (around 10 to 15 minutes); but every once in a while, stir the mixture.
  16. Test noodles if done and then garnish with sliced egg and green onion.
  17. Serve with patis as dipping sauce.