This noodle dish is one of the popular Filipino soup dish which originated in La Paz, Iloilo City. The dish is similar to chicken mami noodles but the only difference is the generous meat toppings like pork, chicken and pork liver with the garnishing of crushed pork chicharon (pork rind cracklings) and spring onions and the addition of shrimp paste. This is actually a very simple dish which is quick and simple. The only process that takes a long time is making the soup stock which requires 2 to 3 hours boiling the pork or beef bones. As much as possible choose bones with marrow, meat and tendons to make the broth more tasty and appetizing. The taste of your La Paz batchoy will depend on the kind of soup stock you will use. The noodles used in the traditional batchoy is miki noodles but I think you can also use other kinds of egg noodles if miki is not available.
How to Cook La Paz Batchoy
Ingredients
- 1 kilo mami noodles blanch for a minute and drain
- 1/4 kilo pork belly
- 150 grams pork liver
- 150 grams shrimps
- 200 grams chicken breast
- 1 onion quartered
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste bagoong
- 1 tsp. peppercorns crushed
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 11 to 12 cups soup stock from boiled beef or pork
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- salt to taste
- chopped garlic fried (for garnishing)
- chopped spring onion for garnishing
- chicharon crushed (for garnishing)
Instructions
How to make La Paz Batchoy:
- To make a soup stock, boil fresh pork or beef bones (with marrow and some meat) in about 20 cups of water for about 2 to 3 hours.
- In a large cooking pot, pour 11 to 12 cups of soup stock and add onion, garlic, shrimp paste, peppercorns, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, soy sauce and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Put in the shrimps and let it simmer until cooked. Remove the shrimps from the pot. Remove the head and peel. Set aside.
- Put the liver and cook for about 7 minutes. Remove from the broth and set aside.
- Put the pork and chicken in the pot and let it simmer until the pork is tender for about 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool. Debone the chicken breast and slice into thin strips. Do the same with the pork and liver.
- Season the broth with salt and pepper. Continue simmering until ready to serve. Add more broth if necessary.
- Serve in individual bowls containing the desired amount of miki noodles. Pour broth and top with chicken, pork, shrimps and liver. Garnish with chicharon, spring onion and fried garlic. Serve hot.
