Bistek Tagalog, which literally translates to Tagalog Beef Steak, is normally made with strips of sirloin beef and onions slowly cooked in soy sauce and calamansi juice. Calamansi juice is a key ingredient here. Some of you may not know what calamansi is particularly to non-Filipino readers.
Calamansi is also known as Calamondin. It is a citrus fruit relative to lemon and lime. In Asian cuisines, calamansi juice is also used for fish, poultry and pork seasoning. It is normally used as a condiment in Filipino cuisine. It is also used in the basic sawsawan (dip) of calamansi juice and soy sauce, for fish, spring rolls, dumplings and various meats. Other terms for calamansi include kalamunding, kalamansi and Philippine lime. If you do not have calamansi available, replace the 10 pieces calamansi with 2 pieces of lemon. Sirloin is a tender cut of beef and is generally used for broiling . Since it is tender, it only takes less than an hour to cook. Bistek is best eaten with rice. You can have it with regular steamed rice or with garlic fried rice.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo beef sirloin, sliced thinly
- 10 pcs calamansi, juiced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 pc onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic and pepper. Massage marinade into meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.
- In a cast iron wok, over high heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove meat.
- In the pan, add onions and garlic (from marinade mixture), and cook, stirring regularly, until limp and aromatic. Return meat to pan.
- Add reserved marinade. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Turn off heat.
- Garnish with onion rings (optional) and cover to allow onion to cook slightly in the steam.
- Serve hot.
Bistek Tagalog
Ingredients
- 1 kilo beef sirloin sliced thinly
- 10 pcs calamansi juiced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 pc onion peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 head garlic peeled and minced
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic and pepper. Massage marinade into meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.
- In a cast iron wok, over high heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove meat.
- In the pan, add onions and garlic (from marinade mixture), and cook, stirring regularly, until limp and aromatic. Return meat to pan.
- Add reserved marinade. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Turn off heat.
- Garnish with onion rings (optional) and cover to allow onion to cook slightly in the steam.
- Serve hot.
