Tapa for the Lazy

Today, finally! I woke up early (not so early, but early hehe) and as I was doing my normal routine (oh! and I was able to give my dogs a bath! what an accomplishment! haha) here was the underlying question again, what should we eat for dinner!? My sister said a few days earlier that she made a great Tapa back when she was still working in Shanghai. She used thin strips of sirloin and used a tapa mix. So with a atchara (pickled papaya) and a poached egg I was quite convinced that Tapa will be for dinner (or so I thought, turned out to be supper!)

Tapa can be considered back in the day as a Pinoy version of Beef Jerky, but through time, one lazy cook to another, nobody (well most) dont make their tapa like the original. My only guess why they would preserve it, like air dry it back in the day is because of no refrigeration. But without compensating for any food borne illnesses we go for the refrigerated recipe.

Knowing me, I have no Filipino dishes I could pass on to the other generation, Its hard to compete with my mother who is like an Italian critic when it comes to Filipino dishes, and well, you cant blame her she makes amazing filipino food, i'm not saying that because shes my mum  (well maybe a bit! haha) but people have attested to her cooking, no family relationship people. So at home I never really attempted to cook Filipino food. But since my mum is in England, I am the one assigned to put food on the table so heres my version of Beef Tapa.

Some I took from what I could remember from my mum's marinades. I would usually open an ice cream tub in the fridge (i should\ know by now that ice cream tubs in the fridge isn't ice cream) and this recipe is to cater to my family and friends in abroad who cant really get say, kalamansi.

You'll be needing: 

1lb. of Sirloin Strips.

Its very very thin, even thinner then bacon, and this also helps cause if you're using bigger cuts when you cook it, you have to first boil it down with water then fry so the beef is tender.

Also this kind of beef cuts the marinating time. you can marinade this just for an hour and the flavor is phenomenal. Not like what the original recipe calls for you have to refrigerate overnight or  even 2 days to get that authentic flavor! I told yah, Tapa for the Lazy!

3 tablespoons of minced garlic (roughly around 10 big cloves)

2 tablespoons of Sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon of Pepper

1/2 Cup of Soysauce

1/3 Cup of White Distilled Vinegar

1/3 Cup Juice of a lemon or  1/3 Cup of Kalamansi Juice

In a bowl or ziplock, airtight container or if you have one of those vacuum seals or a 9 minute marinator like yours truly, then place it there (lifes easy with a 9 minute marinator just saying!)

place all ingredients and mix well.

  

Refrigerate for at least an hour before frying.

Fry til crispy, with this cut of meat  around 3-5 minutes, or once liquid has evaporated.

Serve with rice,egg and pickled vegetables.

Sorry for the Pictures. Just used my iPad for this.

I love poached eggs, but if you like your eggs fried then be my guest!

And thats my beef Tapa. It beats the Tapa Mix, plus, you know exactly went it to your marinade instead of the chemicals you buy at the shops! Enjoy!

xx