Filipinos love soup. We grew up eating goto or arroz caldo for breakfast, our lunch favorites are most of the time soup-based such as sinigang and paksiw, and dinner is not to be missed when it's bulalo.

But for merienda, this thick soup is a favorite: lomi or pancit lomi. With thick egg noodles and solid broth to go with it, it can make the gloomiest of days a tad happier. The most popular variation is found in Lipa, Batangas where you can find carinderias offering this dish seemingly around every corner.

The striking difference of Batangas lomi that sets it apart from all other lomis out there? This variety has no vegetables in it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb miki noodles

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

• 1 medium onion, minced

• 1/4 lb cooked Kikiam (quekiam), sliced

• 1/4 lb pork, sliced into thin strips

• 6 to 8 pieces cooked meatballs

• 3 tablespoons cassava flour diluted in 3 tablespoons water

• 1/4 lb ham, chopped

• 1/4 lb pig’s liver, sliced

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 6 cups pork or beef broth

• 1 cup chicharon (pork cracklings or pork rinds), pounded

• 1 piece raw egg, beaten

• 2 tablespoons onion leeks or scallions, chopped (optional)

• 2 to 3 pieces hard boiled eggs (optional)

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking Procedure

• Heat a cooking pot then pour-in cooking oil.

• When the oil is hot enough, sauté the garlic and onions.

• Put-in the sliced pork and cook until the color turns medium brown.

• Add-in the ham and liver then cook for 2 minutes.

• Add fish sauce and soy sauce then stir.

• Pour-in the broth and let boil. Simmer until the pork strips are tender (about 20 to 30 minutes)

• Put-in the cooked meatballs and kikiam then simmer for 3 minutes.

• Add-in the ground black pepper and miki noodles then cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

• Add the cassava flour diluted in water and stir well. Cook until the sauce thickens.

• Turn-off the heat then pour-in the beaten egg. Stir constantly until the egg is well incorporated.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chicharon and sliced boiled egg. Garnish with onion leeks.

• Serve hot. Share and enjoy!