Home Cooked Tapsilog by Arn

As far as I can remember, my mom has been cooking tapsilog just like the one that you can order from Sinangag Express. The beef is prepared differently not like your typical tapsilog like in Tapa King. This is different because the beef is sort of shredded like adobo flakes but not as dry.

For those of you who do not know what Tapsilog is – its a shortcut to TAPa SInangan at itLog.  A popular Filipino breakfast meal – but it still great at any time of the day.

Since I eat tapsilog all the time, especially after a few rounds of beer, I decided to try to cook it myself. So I asked my mom for the recipe and added a few personal touches. Here’s a picture of my first attempt:

Its simple and easy to cook. The only downside is that it takes a while. Here’s how…

Ingredients for tapsilog:

• Beef – the one used for Caldereta is perfect. Around 1/4 kilo serves 3-4 generously
• Garlic
• Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce
• Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• Eggs

Garlic Rice

• Rice (bought some from MiniStop)
• Garlic
• Star Margarine! They have one in garlic flavor
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Clean up the beef – cut off the ligaments (litid). I personally don’t like it but its up to you.
2. One clove of garlic, crush it then take off the skin
3. Boil some water and keep it boiling. Put in the garlic and beef, make sure that water covers it completely. Add on water every now and then if meat is still hard.
4. Put in around 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, pinches of salt and pepper
5. Let it boil for about an hour. Be sure to keep checking up on it, add water if it starts to dry up. You should repeat this until meat is tender. Check by forking it or cutting it or just by feel – you’ll know.
6. When its good and tender to the point that bits of it are starting to break off easily, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar – be sure that you still have a little water in there.
7. When its ready just keep stirring and let the meat break apart until all water is gone and you are left with the flaky tapa. Make sure to lower the heat.

* My first attempt, I added Coke – yes, Coke! I was watching Travel and Living channel and saw them add Coke to one of the dishes. This version tasted good Next attempt, I’ll be adding pineapple juice as natural sweetener. *wink
For the eggs – my suggestion is just to keep the pan hot, make sure the whole bottom is covered with oil. Eggs stick when the oil is not hot enough:

For the garlic rice: (close to what they serve at Sinangag Express)

1. If you’re like me and just buy your rice from MiniStop because you don’t have access to a day old rice – then you can just do this. Put the rice in a clean plastic bag and add a bit of cold water. Start crushing it up so that it breaks apart.
2. Make sure you have all your garlic chopped up – trust your instincts on how many cloves. I used a lot – here’s a shot before finely chopping it:

3. 

4. Next is to put oil and Star margarine (garlic flavor) on a hot pan. Cook the garlic until its brown and set aside some of them so you can put it on top of the rice later on.
5. Pour in your rice and start mixing it all up – quick and easy. Add some salt to taste. A little pepper also adds some character to it.

That’s about it! I’m trying to teach myself the art of plating… as you can see, I still need more practice.

More photos:

Feel free to try it out and let me know your thoughts. Yummy!

Monster Recommends:

• May 15, 2009 -- I love SeX – My Favorite Tapsilog Place (3)
• July 9, 2008 -- White Boy Cooks Adobong Manok (Filipino Dish) (3)
• September 11, 2011 -- Brunch Buffet at Bfast (0)
• April 4, 2011 -- Breakfast Buffet at Heaven and Eggs (0)

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