Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Yield: 4 servings
We are going back to basics and continuing on with our Filipino American History Month series. I end most of my Filipino recipes with "serve with rice" so I figured it's time to share my tips for making said rice.
The hallmark of every Filipino meal is rice and the hallmark of every Filipino breakfast is garlic fried rice or sinangag. It's very simple to make, but the key is using the correct ingredients and techniques. We'll discuss below:
The age-old debate: to use or not to use day-old rice. The origins of fried rice is all about using leftover rice from the night before, which is why most Asian households will follow the rule of only using day-old, refrigerated rice. Surprisingly, I don't use follow this rule, as we rarely have leftover rice and if we do, our rice cooker allows us to keep the rice warmed for up to 2 days. In my experience the more important factor is to use the correct type of rice, which is always and forever, jasmine rice.
You have to use vegetable oil, canola oil, or another very neutral tasting oil that can heat up to high temperatures. This is key in bringing out the garlic flavor and being able to actually fry your fried rice.
The hardest part of this recipe is knowing when to add the rice after sautéing the garlic. When in doubt, follow my dad's rule, which is that your nose will tell you when the garlic is ready for the rice! In other words, you have to add the rice as soon as the garlic is soft and fragrant but before it gets any color.
Follow these guidelines and the recipe below and you'll have your perfect sinangag for whatever dish you're making!
Ingredients
8-10 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped (about 1/4 of a cup)
4 cups of cooked jasmine rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, depending on preference
Pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil on medium-high heat in a medium frying pan or wok, if you have it.
Once the oil is heated, place garlic on the pan. Fry until the garlic has softened and fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Before the garlic browns, add rice, salt, and pepper.
Fry for about five minutes or until the rice has lost some moisture and the garlic is golden brown.
Serve with your preferred breakfast meat, a fried egg, and enjoy!
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