How to Cook Pancit Buko

Pancit Buko is a unique Filipino dish that replaces traditional noodles with tender young coconut strips, creating a light, flavorful, and refreshing twist on the classic pancit.

Prep Time10

Cook Time21

Total Time31

Course: Vegetables

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: pancit buko, young coconut

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

3/4 cups grated young coconut meat or buko
1 pc large chicken breast boiled and flaked
1/4 kilo shrimps shelled
1 pc large onion sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 pc carrot sliced into thin strips
10 pcs. stringbeans sliced 1 inch long diagonally
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 tsp. MSG
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. patis or fish sauce
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped kinchay or Chinese celery
2 Tbsp. cooking oil

Instructions

How to cook pancit buko:

Saute garlic in hot oil. Add onion.
Then, stir in shrimps and chicken. Season with patis.
Cook for another 3 minutes, then, pour in chicken broth.
Simmer for 10 minutes and add vegetables.
When vegetables are almost done, set aside 1 cup for topping.
Add grated buko in pan. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Arrange pancit buko on a plate and spread the remaining sauteed mixture on top.
For the sauce: patis and calamansi juice.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Use Fresh Young Coconut for Best Results

When preparing this recipe, you must use fresh, young coconut meat, which is soft and tender. Fresh buko would be sweet but not overpowering, and its taste would lighten the flavour of this dish. You should not use older coconuts for this recipe as their meat is harder and less flavoured than a young coconut's.

Do Not Overcook the Shrimps

Since shrimps cook so quickly, do not overcook them because it easily turns them into rubbery and tasteless shrimps, especially since their natural sweetness will form much of the balancing flavors in this dish. Add them towards the end of cooking and remove them from the pan as they begin to color pinkish.

Simmering the Broth for Maximum Flavor

Let the chicken broth simmer for at least 10 minutes. Then add the vegetables and coconut strips. It is only then that you will allow all the flavors from the shrimps, chicken, and seasonings to meld well into the broth. The rich, savory liquid would be able to soak into the buko, and every bite would be more flavorful.