Tapsilog

Name: Tapsilog
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Philippines
Ingredients: Beef sirloin, thinly sliced — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz); Garlic, minced, divided — 4 cloves; Soy sauce — 60 ml (2 fl oz); Vinegar — 2 tbsp; Sugar — 1 tbsp; Cooked rice, preferably day-old — 550 g (1.2 lb); Eggs — 4; Oil, divided — 3 tbsp; Black pepper — to taste

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Servings

Ingredients

Beef sirloin, thinly sliced — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
Garlic, minced, divided — 4 cloves
Soy sauce — 60 ml (2 fl oz)
Vinegar — 2 tbsp
Sugar — 1 tbsp
Cooked rice, preferably day-old — 550 g (1.2 lb)
Eggs — 4
Oil, divided — 3 tbsp
Black pepper — to taste

Method

Combine the beef with half the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and pepper, and marinate for at least
1 hour, ideally overnight.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the marinated beef for 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through and lightly caramelised.
In the same pan, add a little more oil and fry the remaining garlic until golden and crisp.
Add the rice and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until heated through and infused with the garlic.
Fry the eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan.
Serve the beef, garlic rice and fried egg together on one plate.

Introduction: Marinated, pan-fried beef served with garlic fried rice and a sunny-side-up egg, one of the Philippines' most beloved breakfast combinations.

Cultural Background: Tapsilog is a beloved Filipino breakfast portmanteau — tapa (cured beef), sinangag (garlic rice) and itlog (egg) — a hearty, savoury start to the day found at carinderias and homes across the country.

Tips: Marinate the beef for as long as possible, ideally overnight, for the deepest flavour. Use day-old rice for the garlic fried rice, as it fries up better than freshly cooked rice.

Variations: Use pork (porksilog) or chicken (chicksilog) in place of beef for variations on the theme. Serve with a side of atchara (pickled papaya) for extra tang.

Storage: Refrigerate beef and rice separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days.

Reheating: Reheat the beef in a pan; refresh the rice with a splash of water in a covered pan or microwave.

FAQs:

Q: What does 'tapsilog' stand for?

A: A portmanteau of tapa (cured beef), sinangag (garlic rice) and itlog (egg), the three components of this classic breakfast.

Q: Can this be made with other proteins?

A: Yes, the '-silog' suffix is applied to many combinations, such as porksilog (pork) or bangsilog (milkfish).