Tapsilog

Tapsilog (Filipino Beef Tapa with Garlic Fried Rice and Egg)

A classic Filipino breakfast plate: soy-calamansi marinated beef tapa fried until caramelised, served with sinangag (garlic fried rice) and a fried egg. The name is a portmanteau of tapa, sinangag, and itlog (egg).

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 1½ oz) beef sirloin or flank steak, sliced thinly against the grain, about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick
• •60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) calamansi juice, or Philippine lime; substitute key lime or 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp white vinegar
• •30 g (2 tbsp) brown sugar, or white sugar
• •6 cloves garlic, 3 cloves minced for marinade, 3 cloves crushed for frying rice
• •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• •45 ml (3 tbsp) cooking oil, plus more for frying
• •600 g (4 cups cooked) cooked rice, day-old cold jasmine rice works best
• •4 whole eggs
• •1 tsp salt, to taste for the rice
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white cane vinegar, for dipping, such as sukang Iloko; use any mild white vinegar

Steps

1. 1 Combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, brown sugar, minced garlic (3 cloves) and black pepper in a bowl. Add the sliced beef and mix well so every slice is coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavour.
2. 2 Remove the beef from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Reserve the marinade.
3. 3 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pan isn't crowded, fry the beef slices for 2–3 minutes per side until browned and caramelised at the edges. The beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 63°C (145°F) for medium, or cook longer if you prefer well done. Transfer to a plate.
4. 4 Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and safe to eat (it must come to a full boil). Return the beef to the pan, toss to coat, then set aside.
5. 5 Wipe out the pan or use a clean one. Add 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat and sauté the crushed garlic (3 cloves) for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and just turning golden - do not let it burn.
6. 6 Add the cold cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the rice is heated through and evenly coated with garlic oil. Season with salt to taste. This is your sinangag.
7. 7 In a separate non-stick pan, fry the eggs sunny-side up or over-easy until the whites are fully set but the yolk is still runny, about 2–3 minutes over medium heat.
8. 8 To serve, divide the garlic fried rice among four plates. Arrange the tapa alongside and top each plate with a fried egg. Serve with a small dish of vinegar on the side for dipping the beef.