Silog refers to a family of Filipino breakfast dishes consisting of some type of meat, garlic fried rice, and a fried egg. If you’re familiar with Malaysian or Singaporean food, then you can think of it as the Filipino version of nasi lemak.
What is Silog?
Silog refers to a class of Filipino breakfast dishes containing sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (fried egg). They are served with various meat dishes like tapa (cured beef), longganisa (sausage), or ham.
Components of a Silog Meal
- Sinangag (Garlic Fried Rice): Made from leftover rice fried with garlic, oil, and salt. Gives the dish its flavorful, savory base.
- Itlog (Fried Egg): Typically sunny-side up, over easy, or scrambled. Provides protein and soaks up flavors.
- Meat/Seafood: The protein component that lends its name to the type of silog. Common ones include tapa (cured beef), longganisa (sausage), bangus (milkfish), and even Spam.
Popular Types of Silog
- Tapsilog – With beef tapa
- Longsilog – With longganisa sausage
- Bangsilog – With bangus (milkfish)
- Tocilog – With sweet cured pork tocino
- Chicksilog – With fried chicken
- Spamsilog – With Spam
- Cornsilog – With corned beef
- Sisigsilog – With sisig (chopped pork parts)
Tapsilog
Tapsilog features thin slices of cured beef called tapa as its main protein. The beef is cured in a mixture of salt, spices, soy sauce, and calamansi juice, then pan-fried until slightly crispy on the edges. The resulting tapa is salty, sweet, garlicky, and rich in umami flavor. It contrasts nicely with the soft fried egg and savory garlic-infused rice. Tapsilog is often served with a small side salad of fresh tomatoes and cucumber pickles called atchara to cut through the richness.
Longsilog
Longsilog contains Filipino sausages called longganisa, which are made from highly seasoned ground pork. Regional versions vary, but most longganisa feature garlic, vinegar, annatto powder for reddish color, and black peppercorns. When cooked, the casing becomes browned and crispy while the interior turns firm. Longganisa has a pronounced sweet, sour, and porky flavor. It stands up well to the rice and egg components. Longsilog is a nostalgic, protein-packed breakfast for many Filipinos.
Bangsilog
The star ingredient in bangsilog is bangus, or milkfish, a common fish in the Philippines. The boneless bangus fillet is marinated in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, pepper, and patis (fish sauce) to infuse flavor before frying. When cooked, the exterior gets extra crispy while the inside remains moist and flaky. The subtle sweetness of the fish contrasts with the rice and eggs. Bangsilog is often served with a vinegar-based dipping sauce.
Tocilog
Tocilog features tocino, which is a sweet cured pork belly, as its key component. Thin slices of tocino are pan-fried until caramelized and slightly crispy around the edges, developing a sweet and salty character. The syrupy tocino pairs nicely with the savory garlic rice and eggs. Tocilog is a sweeter, pork-based take on the silog meal.
Chicksilog
This silog variation contains small, boneless fried chicken cuts like nuggets or popcorn chicken. The chicken is coated in a light, crispy breading then fried until golden brown and cooked through. Chicksilog offers a nice textural contrast between the crispy chicken, soft egg, and fluffy rice. The chicken also soaks up flavors from the garlic rice. It’s an approachable, kid-friendly silog meal.
Danggitsilog
Danggitsilog features crispy fried rabbitfish, known as danggit in Filipino cuisine. Danggit are small fish that are split open, deboned, and then salted and sun-dried, concentrating their flavor. When fried, the dangit becomes very crispy on the outside, with a tender, flaky interior and strong fishy taste. The crispy texture and pronounced flavor of the fried danggit pair wonderfully with the soft fried egg and savory garlic-infused rice in danggitsilog. A small side of spicy vinegar is usually provided for dipping the fried fish. The mixture of crispy, salty, and sour flavors is what makes danggitsilog such a tasty breakfast.
Spamsilog
The star of spamsilog is Spam, the popular canned precooked meat. Thin slices of Spam are pan-fried until they develop crispy edges and caramelized spots on the surface. The fried Spam contributes salty, porky, and slightly sweet flavors. It contrasts nicely with the soft fried egg and mild garlic rice. Spamsilog often comes with a side of banana ketchup to drizzle over the dish, adding sweet and acidic notes to balance the saltiness. The dish offers a nostalgic meaty breakfast combination for many Filipinos.
Corn silog
As the name suggests, cornsilog contains corned beef as its key protein component. The canned corned beef is sautéed with garlic, onions, and sometimes diced potatoes to lend complexity. The soft, almost mushy texture of the corned beef contrasts with the fluffy fried rice and runny egg yolk. Meanwhile, the beef contributes a pronounced salty, beefy umami flavor that permeates into the rice. Cornsilog makes for a hearty, protein-rich breakfast combination to fuel the day ahead.
Customizations
- Almost any protein can be made into silog by serving with garlic fried rice and egg
- Can include mushrooms, corn, peas, or other veggies
- Often served with spicy vinegar or fresh tomatoes/cucumbers
- Enjoyable for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime snack
So in summary, silog is an adaptable Filipino rice meal featuring garlic fried rice, egg, and a protein that can be customized in many delicious ways. It offers a satisfying, comforting, and affordable breakfast.
