Tapa o Tapsilog

It's Valentines Day and for breakfast, I cooked my husband's favorite Filipino Breakfast of Tapsilog. TAPSILOG: Tapa (cured beef), Sinangag (fried rice) and Itlog (fried egg) 

Tapa or cured beef is a famous Filipino viand that's often served for breakfast. But for some, it can also be an all-day dish.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients: Basic Tapa

• 1/2 K beef (breakfast steak) (sliced into thin pieces)
• 1 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 whole garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup vinegar or 1/4 cup calamansi juice
• 1/2 tsp granulated pepper
• 1 tbsp sugar or none
• 1 1/2 cup water

How To:

• In a bowl or a large Ziploc, mix all ingredients and marinate the beef for at least an hour or 2.
• In a pan, boil prepared beef in 1 1/2cup water .
• Once water is reduced, in low heat, continuously stir beef in it's own oil. * once water evaporates, the beef will secrete it's own oil. Or add cooking oil if necessary.
• Serve if desired texture is reached.

There are various ways when it comes to the preparation, cooking and serving of tapa.

1. Aside from beef strips, the meat can also be marinated and cook steak- style (whole meat).

2. It is very common for some to add "salitre" or saltpeter. It is a preservative.

3. Sugar is optional.

4. It can be served with your usual sunny side up egg or slices of salted egg and tomatoes.

Actually, which ever way you choose, when it comes to this dish, definitely,  your tapa is going to be delicious.