Pata bihon

How to make Pata bihon recipe - Sea cucumber gives this dish a particular consistency in the sauce which cannot be obtained from ordinary thickeners. It is available in Chinese specialty and gourmet stores and seafood and wet markets. Gene Gonzalez

Ingredients:
1 pc. pork pata (front), cleaned
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. peppercorns
2 laurel leaves
oil for deep frying
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 pc. star anise
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped sea cucumber
1/4 cup banana blossoms
8 pcs. roasted chestnuts, shelled
4 pcs. shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water
and sliced
12 cups stock
250 grams bihon, soaked in water for 5 minutes

Method:
1. Place pata in a pan and pour enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Discard water and replace with fresh water. Add salt, pepper, and laurel. Bring to a boil and simmer until pata is tender.

3. Drain and let cool, reserving liquid for the noodles.

4. Deep-fry cooked pata in hot oil for 5 minutes. Do this thrice, letting the pata cool before re-frying.

5. Debone the fried pata and cut into bitesize pieces.

6. Place soy sauce, star anise, sugar, sea mcucumber, banana blossoms, chestnuts, mushrooms, and stock in a pot and bring to a boil.

7. Simmer for 30 minutes over low fire. Add pata meat and simmer for another 8 minutes.

8. Toss in noodles and bring to a boil. Serve immediately. Yields 5 servings.