Tapa and Egg Fried Rice
A good, old fashioned tapa and egg duo is a classic combination any Filipino would enjoy. Tender beef in a sweet and savory marinade, with creamy eggs to boot, is always a meal to look forward to, and breakfast lovers, especially, know this all too well. After all, who can resist the mouthwatering aroma that…
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A good, old fashioned tapa and egg duo is a classic combination any Filipino would enjoy. Tender beef in a sweet and savory marinade, with creamy eggs to boot, is always a meal to look forward to, and breakfast lovers, especially, know this all too well. After all, who can resist the mouthwatering aroma that wafts through the kitchen whenever the classic tapsilog is the first meal of the day? That said, though a timeless favorite, plain old tapsilog may not sound like the most exciting dish in the world. So if you’re craving something new, why not try this tapa and egg fried rice?
This tapa and egg fried rice might sound like your typical Filipino breakfast. But wait — we haven’t even told you what this tapa is made of! You may assume that the tapa of this recipe consists of your usual beef or pork, but why not be a little more daring? Instead, we’re opting for a meat that’s equally tender, but definitely a little more out of the box: horse meat!
Trust us; we aren’t horsing around! Horse meat is the secret ingredient your tapa and egg fried rice needs.
It may come as a surprise to some, but horse meat is actually quite common in culinary traditions across the globe! In Asian and European countries in particular, horse meat is a delicacy that has been around for centuries. Much of horse meat cuisine and recipes is attributed to France, whose appreciation for the meat grew in the 19th century. Delis and butchers sold this quality meat at a low price, so even common folk could afford to eat luxuriously.
In other countries like Korea and Japan, raw horse meat is seen as a tasty, tender delicacy. The Japanese especially eat this dish like sashimi, consuming it raw with soy sauce, ginger, and onions. Even in some yakiniku restaurants, you can often find horse meat as one of the main offerings!
You might be wondering what horse meat feels and tastes like. Surprisingly enough, many who consume this dish claim they can’t tell the difference between meat from horses and cows! Others claim that horse meat is slightly richer — even preferring the latter to your usual proteins. Further, being lower in fat, calories and cholesterol, horse meat is often seen as much healthier! You could try to substitute horse meat in some of your favorite beef dishes — from stir fry to beef and broccoli, even mechado!
In Filipino cuisine, we refer to horse meat as lukba or tapang kabayo. It’s a type of protein we can find in several wet markets around the country, and the most common and easiest way of serving it is by marinating it in a delicious sauce, not unlike how we use other kinds of meat. This tapa and egg fried rice is no different; just like regular beef tapa, we’ll be marinating our horse meat until tender, succulent, and absolutely delicious!
What are you waiting for? Take the plunge today, and let’s make this horse tapa and egg fried rice together!
How to Make Tapa and Egg Fried Rice
Making the tapa for this tapa and egg fried rice means taking a lot of time to flavor your meat. To do this, you combine garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Once you’ve stirred these ingredients together, add in a pound’s worth of thin slices of horse meat. Mix the horse meat well, coating it in your savory marinade. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate, letting it soak for at least three hours.
Are your three hours over? Time to take your horse meat out! Slice your pieces into even thinner and smaller portions as necessary, then arrange them in a pan and pour in some water. 4 tablespoons of cooking oil go in next, after which you bring the whole pan to a boil. Pour in 1 and ½ cups of lemon lime soda, to give your meat an additional sweetness and tenderness. Remove the lid of your pan, cooking your tapa until the liquid completely evaporates. Fry your tapa in the remaining oil for 2 more minutes, before removing it from the pan and setting it aside.
The next step in your tapa and egg fried rice is to make, of course, the egg fried rice! With the remaining oil in the pan, fry your eggs and cut them into smaller pieces using your spatula. Add onions, half of the green onions, and some bell peppers for additional color, texture, and flavor. Toss these together until you’ve distributed all these components well. Then, add your leftover rice into the pan, and once again toss.
Soy sauce and sesame oil go in next; doesn’t that just smell absolutely delicious? Distribute the ingredients of your tapa and egg fried rice thoroughly, and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes. You can even add salt if necessary! With the remaining green onions now in the pan, transfer your rice to a serving plate, and enjoy with your tapa and vinegar as a sawsawan.
Now’s the time to share and enjoy this tapa and egg fried rice with your loved one! This dish will definitely have you saying good morning, noon, or night with every bite of deliciousness. Let us know if you enjoyed it!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Tapa and Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
Tapa ingredients:
Egg fried rice ingredients:
- 4 cups leftover rice
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 onion minced
- ¼ cup green onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Start making the tapa by combining garlic, soy sauce, salt, and ground black pepper in a bowl. Stir. Add the meat and mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Slice the meat into thinner and smaller pieces as needed. Arrange it in a pan and pour-in water and cooking oil. Let boil.
- Add the lemon lime soda. Continue cooking uncovered until the liquid completely evaporates.
- Fry the tapa in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Make the egg fried rice by frying the eggs in the remaining oil.
- Once completely cooked, cut the eggs into smaller pieces using your spatula.
- Add onion, half of the green onions, and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes while continuously stirring.
- Put the leftover rice into the pan and then toss until all the ingredients are well distributed.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Continue to stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Note: You may add salt if needed.
- Top with remaining green onions. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with the fried tapa. Share and enjoy!
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