Tapsilog: The Perfect Filipino Breakfast

There are many routes to go about in having a standard Filipino breakfast. One is having a cup of hot coffee to dip pandesal into. Another is having a plateful full of fried processed meat like hotdogs or longganisa (Filipino-style sausage). But perhaps, the best meal to start the day with is having a silog meal for breakfast. Silog is a portmanteau from the words SI-nangag (fried rice) and it-LOG (egg). Meats to accompany silogs vary but the most common (and original) variety is the Tap-Si-Log (Dried cured beef + fried rice + fried egg). Beef tapa is the traditional silog accompaniment.

Tapa is a Filipino dish made up of thinly sliced meat that is cured and dried. A modern take on making tapa is marinating the meat and forgoing the drying process. Beef is the common choice for making tapa. It's tender, chewy and very juicy from the marinade. Because of the thin slices, beef can be used without having to spend too much.

(For the beef tapa) Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 5 pcs calamansi/1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3 lbs beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Cut calamansi/lemon in half and squeeze the juice in a container. Remove seeds and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, calamansi/lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and pepper. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
3. Add beef and fully coat with the marinade. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.
4. In a pan over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Layer the beef to cover the entire pan. Turn each side frequently for 3 minutes to cook.
5. Add 2 tbsp of marinade and 1 tbsp of oil and continue to cook until meat is browned and tender.
6. Serve while hot with fried rice and egg.

(For the silog) Ingredients:

• 3 cups bahaw (day-old rice)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Oil for cooking
  
  

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry garlic until fragrant and lightly brown.
2. Add rice and stir constantly until garlic is well distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same wok, add 1 tbsp of oil. Crack and fry egg until desired egg yolk consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Plate fried rice and egg with tapa. Serve hot.

Get your ingredients for this amazing Filipino breakfast from My Tindahan. A similar recipe can be found at Kawaling Pinoy. Photo courtesy of The Little Epicurean.