Beef tapa is a simple and delicious combination of thinly sliced beef which is marinated, to perfection, in a simple combination of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and pepper. The outcomes is an incredibly tender and and delicious fried beef. Actually, beef tapa is Spanish in origin but is commonly made and enjoyed in the Philippines.
There are a few changes that can be made to the recipe. First off, you can alter the amounts of the ingredients according to your liking. In example, more, or less, vinegar, sugar, or soy sauce can be used. It is always best to make the recipe a few times to experiment.
In this recipe, we serve the beef three ways. The first is simply with some rice on the side. This is great for breakfast with your favourite type of eggs. There is just something about beef tapa and eggs.
The second way to serve it is in a tortilla wrapper combined with the salsa, mayo, lettuce, roasted red bell peppers, cucumber, onions, tapa, and pepper. It is so delicious after being placed on the grill for a few minutes. These are only suggestions, as you can add the ingredients of your choice.
The third way is to place the beef over a piece of French bread or the bread of your choice. Then, place some roasted red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and ground black pepper over the top. The outcome is simply yum.
Try our beef tapa served three ways and, as always, let us know what you think.
- For the Beef Tapa:
- 1/2 kilo of thinly sliced beef
- 3 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- 2 tbsp of vinegar
- pepper to taste
- For the Rice Dish:
- Cooked Rice
- 1/3 of the beef tapa
- For the Tortilla Wrapper:
- 2 tortilla wrappers
- 4 tbsp of salsa
- 2 tbsp of chipotle mayo
- 1/2 of a fried bell pepper
- 8 slices of cucumber
- 2 leaves of lettuce
- 2 slices of onion
- 10 pieces of jalapeno
- 1/3 of the fried tapa
- 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp of fresh cilantro
- 1/2 squeezed lime
- For the French Bread:
- 2 pieces of French bread or the bread of your choice
- remaining 1/3 of the beef
- 1/2 a roasted red bell pepper
- 4 tbsp of diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- pepper to taste
- Add the beef followed by the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Using your hands or a spoon, mix until the meat is completely covered.
- Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours – overnight is preferred.
- Add some oil to a pan, put the beef in, and fry, over medium high heat, for about 10 minutes or until the liquid cooks down and the meat fries on its own.
- Set it aside in a bow.
- To Make the Rice Dish:
- Add the rice and beef tapa to a plate.
- For the Tortilla Wrapper:
- Lay the wrappers out. Spread the salsa and chipotle mayo onto the centre.
- Place the bell peppers, cucumber, lettuce, onion, jalapenos, beef tapa, cheese, and cilantro over the top. Pour or squeeze the lime juice over.
- Fold and place on the grill for about 2 minutes.
- For the French Bread:
- Lay the bread out. Place the beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes on the bread. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the top. Pepper to taste.
- Enjoy your beef tapa served 3 ways.
