Watch: How to make Beef Tapa or Tapsilog at home
This meal is a portmanteau of the words tapa (beef), si from sinangag (fried rice) and log from itlog (fried egg)
| PREP TIME | 2 h : 30 m |
|---|---|
| COOK TIME | 30m |
| SERVES | 4 |
100 ml soya sauce
50 ml calamansi juice
50 gms garlic (peeled and minced)
10 gms sugar
10 gms salt
10 gms ground black pepper
1.5 kg beef sirloin (thinly sliced)
50 ml vegetable oil (for frying)
1. In a large bowl, mix the soya sauce, calamansi juice, chopped garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
2. Soak the thinly sliced beef in the marinade to coat it fully, and massage the marinade into the meat to tenderise it.
3. Leave it overnight in the refrigerator to marinate and cure. The salty soy sauce in the marinade draws out moisture from the beef and dries it. If you’re pressed for time, a two-hour marination period works well too.
4. You can either shallow fry the striploin on a pan or grill it over a charcoal barbecue. Grilling adds a smoky flavour and frying gives it a shine and burnt caramelised flavour.
5. For shallow frying, heat the virgin coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Strain the meat from marinade and layer the beef on the pan, then cook each side for about 3 to 5 minutes until it forms a dark golden-brown color.
6. For a 1- ½ inch thick steak, 2-3 minutes per side is more than enough. If your steak measures ½ or ¼ of an inch, sear it with mild amount of oil for 10-15 seconds per side.
7. Remove the beef from the pan and serve hot with garlic rice, papaya atchara and fried egg for the classic breakfast meal called tapsilog.
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