Pancit Shanghai

My Filipino co-worker has brought this noodle dish in for me a couple of times at work, and I thought it was soooo delicious and comforting.  She said she learned it from her mom and I asked her for the recipe and decided to give it a try.  This required a trip to T&T Supermarket for all things Asian.  I doubled the recipe too as she said this recipe was enough for her and her husband.  I wanted leftovers of it.  Here are her ingredients:

• 3 or 4 Chinese sausages, sliced diagonally 

She recommends these ones below and that is what I bought.

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced & marinated in 2 tbsp soy and 1 clove of garlic for 30 minutes ( I cubed the pieces)
• 200 grams shrimp, 71- 90 count ( I could only find 31 - 40 so used those - fresh white, shelled and de-veined)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 small head of sui choy (Napa) cabbage, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped (she said optional)
• Handful of oyster or shiitake mushrooms (I used shittake), stems removed & sliced (she said optional)
• 500 ml to 750 ml chicken stock (I used Better than Bouillon 50% reduced sodium chicken base)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of Marca Pina dark soy sauce (I couldn't find it so I used Lee Kum Kee Premium dark)
• 1 package Shanghai stir fry soup noodles

I bought these ones below:

• 1/2 package of pork rinds , crushed ( I used a mallet)
• Lemon, sliced (she said optional)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

OK, in hindsight, this is a dish best made on a weekend, not a work night.  OMG, this prep took me a long time!  We ate at 9pm...

I started by cutting up and marinating the chicken.

Then I got all other vegetables done and the sausage.  I crushed the pork rinds to a powder.  I noticed after I bought the chicharróns that they were "spicy vinegar" flavoured.  I had a taste and it wasn't over powering so I just used them.

When I got to the shrimp, I realized that besides peeling them, I had to de-vein them which took me a whole half hour for one pound.

It felt like forever - one pound might as well have been 100 pounds!  Next time, I will buy cleaned shrimp so probably frozen.  I followed her directions exactly.  She did say that this was all from her head, so I understand everyone's stove, technique, etc. may vary in time...

I started by frying the chicken in some avocado oil with a handful of the onions and some garlic.  I put it on a plate when done.

Next I fried the sausage and moved it it to the same plate.

The onions and garlic went in next and I sauteed until translucent.

The celery, carrots and shiitakes went in next (She didn't tell me when to put those mushrooms in, so I guessed).

I stir-fried for 5 minutes per her directions, and the celery was still crispy, but I went with it.  I also had to add a bit more oil when those veggies hit the pan.

I added the cabbage.

I stirred, then added three quarters of the broth and soy sauce.  She said to cover and let sit at medium heat for 5 minutes so I brought that to a boil first.  The shrimp went in next and I covered for another 3 minutes.  I'm not sure I liked the idea of cooking the shrimp here - too early.  As soon as I put them in, I knew I shouldn't have.  Next time I would put them in at the very end with the chicken and sausage.

Then all the noodles went in with the remaining broth and soy sauce and cooked for another 5 minutes.  Wow, they were stuck together like glue when they went in, I wasn't sure they would come apart.  They slowly did, but I had to simmer more than the 5 minutes suggested, it was about 10 or 15 minutes before those noodles broke up.

She said the noodles should soak up all the broth.  I added the chicken and sausage back in.  I waited till all the broth (20 more minutes) was gone then added the pork rinds.

I mixed and stirred.  She said to taste to see if extra seasoning was needed here.  I wasn't going to put any more salt/sodium in so I just used some more pepper.   I served it with a slice of lemon as she suggested you squirt some over it. I agree, it helps cut the richness.

Wow, making double was probably not the best idea.  Now I have to ask her if I can freeze it.  :)  She'll be getting a big bowl to sample tomorrow.  For my first effort I think this was pretty good.  Was it as good as hers?  I don't think so, but I always feel that way about my own cooking - it's never as good as when someone else cooks for you.  I hope to get her critique tomorrow.  My son really liked it (probably starving).  :)  Next time, I'll follow her recipe quantities exactly - this was waaaay too much food.  We enjoyed it.