For our Anniversary dinner last year, I made a simple Filipino dish – Bistek or Bistek Tagalog, which means Beef Steak. It sounds like a play on words.
We have many Filipino friends who like my country people, Ghanaians, love to get together over food, dance, song. I appreciate their company so much because they remind me of home. Their camaraderie is very inspiring and so spending time with them and eating their delicious meals with them inspires me to make their dishes when I can. This is a dish with just few ingredients so it is amazing how it bursts with flavor – citrus, soy, onions and good meat. Yes, that simple!
Method
Marinate 1.5 Ibs of thinly sliced beef in 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of calamansi juice (this is Philippine lime. If you don’t have this, mix lemon and lime juices together), 6 garlic cloves, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp black pepper. While beef is marinating (about 45 min – 1 hr), slice 2 medium red onions in thick round slices and sauté in about 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Remove and add beef from marinade. After a few minutes remove beef and cook marinade until a little thick then add onions and beef back to pan and cook for a few more minutes.
Enjoy with rice, wash it all down with a glass of red Moscato.
Recipe adapted from Bistek Tagalog Recipe (beefsteak) (panlasangpinoy.com)
Let’s dig in!
