I start by peeling my shrimp (leaving the tails on), and saving those heads for my stock later. I bring 1 cup of water to a boil, place my shrimp in a fine mesh sieve, and dip them in the boiling water just until they change color. I set them aside and save the cooking liquid, too.

For my pork belly, I cook the diced pieces in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they release their oil and become brown and crispy. I drain them on paper towels and set aside.

I drain my tofu and wrap it in paper towels to remove extra moisture, then cut it into ¼ inch cubes. I deep fry these in about 1 inch of oil until they're golden brown and crispy, then drain them on paper towels.

I cook my tinapa flakes in a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, stirring regularly for 1-2 minutes.

For my crispy garlic, I heat about ¼ cup oil in a small pan over low heat, add my minced garlic and cook until it's light brown and crispy. I remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and save 3 tablespoons of that garlic oil for my sauce.

I chop my reserved shrimp heads and combine them with 5 cups of water in a pot. I bring this to a boil, removing any foam that rises, then simmer for about 10 minutes.

I strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids, making sure I have 5 cups of rich shrimp stock.

In my saucepot, I heat ¼ cup canola oil over medium heat, add my annatto seeds and cook them, stirring regularly until the oil turns to a deep orange color. I remove and discard the seeds.

I add my flour to the annatto oil and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.

Slowly, I add my shrimp stock while stirring vigorously to prevent lumps. I bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. I add my shrimp bouillon and stir until dissolved, then cook for 3-5 minutes until thickened.

I season with salt and pepper to taste.

I soak my rice noodles in water for 1-2 minutes, then drain them well.

I bring about 6 cups of water to a boil, add my noodles, and cook for just 1 minute until they're al dente. I drain them well. They're ready to serve.

I place my cooked noodles on serving plates and spoon my warm shrimp gravy over them.

I top everything with my shrimp, crushed chicharon, fried pork, crispy tofu, tinapa flakes, hard boiled eggs, toasted garlic bits, and green onions. I serve with calamansi on the side.

Enjoy your pancit palabok!