Delicious Sotanghon Guisado

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A Filipino feast does not seem complete without an offering of this mungbean noodle dish. A sprinkling of golden garlic is a necessary touch. This recipe comes from Ances and Techie Unson, the mother-daughter team behind Albergus Restaurant.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo sotanghon (vermicelli)
• 1/4 cup wood ears, soaked in water
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 kilo ham, sliced into thin 2-inch strips
• 1/4 kilo cooked chicken, deboned and flaked
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons vetsin (optional)
• 2-3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1/2 kilo cabbage, sliced into thin strips
• 1/4 kilo carrots, sliced into thin strips
• 1/4 kilo celery, sliced thin diagonally
• 1/4 kilo turnips, sliced into strips

For Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons fried garlic

Procedure:

1. Wash sotanghon and wood ears separately. Soak in separate bowls with enough water to cover for about 30 minutes.
2. When soaked sotanghon is slightly softened, cut into 6 to 8 inch lengths with sharp kitchen scissors. Put back in water and continue soaking to prevent sotanghon from drying.
3. Drain sotanghon. Squeeze water out of wood ears then slice thinly. Set aside.
4. In a skillet heat oil and saute minced garlic and onion. Add ham, flaked chicken and wood ears. Season with soy sauce, pepper and vetsin (if using). Stir thoroughly.
5. Set aside some of the sauteed mixture for topping.
6. In same pan, add soaked sotanghon and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Let boil and simmer until sotanghon is tender-cooked. If noodles are still too tough and dry, add more broth to cook noodles thoroughly, until soft and translucent. (The amount of broth you need will vary, depending on the brand of sotanghon you use. Imported sotanghon needs more liquid to soften during cooking).
7. When noodles are almost cooked, add cabbage, carrots, celery and turnips. Stir thoroughly to prevent noodles from sticking to the pan, until vegetables are tender crisp. Set aside some of the vegetables for topping. Correct seasoning if necessary.
8. Arrange on a platter and toss with reserved meat and vegetables. Garnish with fried garlic.

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