Tapsilog Pepper Lunch
Tapsilog is a classic Filipino breakfast built from three parts: tapa (marinated beef), sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (fried egg). This version celebrates Filipino American History Month with a shortcut that still tastes faithful to the traditional dish. Instead of marinating beef overnight in soy and calamansi, we use my very own Tastebud Calamansi BBQ Sauce (check my merch) as a fast hack for that sweet-savory-tangy tapa flavor.
This was a joint effort with my friend Krizell Sullano (@krizkitch), an LA-based Filipino American food content creator, nurse, and mother to one of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen. She is documenting the food she grew up on, recipe by recipe, and her dishes convey the rich and complex history of Filipino food. She was inspired to assemble this tapsilog pepper lunch-style. The meal is served directly in the pan, a nod to the Japanese restaurant dining format that popularized hot iron rice skillets here in America. Comfort food from two cultures, merged in one sizzling pan.
Ingredients
¼ cup The Tastebud Calamansi BBQ Sauce
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce
½ lb thinly sliced beef
2 Tbsp butter
1½–2 cups sinangag (garlic fried rice)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 egg, cooked sunny side up
2 tsp neutral oil
Fried garlic and sliced scallions, for topping
Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, mix the calamansi BBQ sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the sliced onion until slightly softened.
3. Pack the sinangag tightly into a small bowl, then flip the bowl upside down onto the center of the pan, placing the molded rice on top of the onions.
4. Arrange the thinly sliced beef around the rice.
5. Pour the calamansi BBQ–soy mixture over the beef and let it cook until the meat is browned and coated in sauce.
6. Add the butter and the sunny side up egg on top. Gently smash and mix everything together so the butter melts through the rice and sauce.
7. Top with fried garlic and scallions. Serve hot—best enjoyed straight from the pan.
Familiar flavors, updated method
