Tapsilog
Tapsilog (Tapa, Sinangag, Itlog)
Garlic fried rice, sunny-side egg, and beef tapa marinated in a balanced sweet-salty glaze with oyster sauce—the breakfast of champions.
Serves 2 · 1h 10m total time
The Story
The '-silog' format (protein + sinangag + itlog) powers carinderias nationwide. Tapsilog is the original that started the trend. A good tapa lives in the marinade—sweet and salty in equal measure, with oyster sauce rounding out the umami.
Best paired with
Sukang maasim (vinegar with siling labuyo), atchara, and hot coffee or tsokolate
Lola's Tips
- ✦Taste the marinade before adding beef: it should read sweet and salty at the same time, not sharply one-sided.
- ✦Oyster sauce deepens flavor without making the tapa taste 'oyster-y'—start with 1 tbsp and add more if you like.
- ✦Freeze beef 20 minutes before slicing—it cuts thinner and caramelizes faster.
- ✦Day-old rice makes the best garlic fried rice (sinangag).
- ✦Caramelize tapa in batches; overcrowding steams instead of browning.
Substitutions
- beef sirloin → carne norte (corned beef) for a quicker version
- brown sugar → white sugar plus a tiny pinch more soy for balance
- calamansi → lime juice mixed with a pinch of sugar
Ingredients
-
300 g beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
-
3 tbsp soy sauce
-
2 tbsp oyster sauce
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1.5 tbsp brown sugar
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2 tbsp calamansi juice
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4 cloves garlic, minced (for marinade)
Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, calamansi juice, minced garlic, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves. Taste: you want a balanced sweet-and-salty base—adjust with a splash more soy if too sweet, or a pinch more sugar if too sharp.
- 2
Add sliced beef and coat every piece. Marinate at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight for deeper flavor. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan over high heat. Fry beef in a single layer (in batches if needed) until caramelized and just cooked through, 2–3 minutes per side. Pour in any leftover marinade for the last minute to glaze. Set tapa aside.
- 4
In the same pan, add a little more oil and sauté crushed garlic until golden. Add rice; stir-fry until heated through and fragrant. Season lightly with salt if needed.
- 5
Fry eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan. Plate garlic rice, tapa, and egg. Serve with vinegar, chili, calamansi, and atchara on the side.
Kitchen Timer · 45 min prep first
25:00
