Bistek facts for kids
Bistek Tagalog from the Philippines
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| Alternative names | Bistec encebollado (Spanish), bistek Tagalog (Filipino) |
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| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Spain |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Beef sirloin or tenderloin, salt and pepper. Regional variations may include onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, calamansi juice, soy sauce |
| Other information | Eaten with rice |
Bistek or Bistec is a yummy dish that gets its name from the Spanish word for "beef steak." It's a popular way to cook beef in many countries! This tasty meal is often served hot as a main course, usually with rice.
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Bistek Around the World
Bistek is a favorite dish in many places, especially in countries that were once part of the Spanish Empire. You can find different versions of bistek in the Caribbean islands like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Different Kinds of Bistek
Each country has its own special twist on bistek:
- In Cuba, it's called bistec de palomilla.
- Mexico has bistec ranchero.
- In Colombia, they make bistec a caballo. This one comes with a special sauce called hogao and a fried egg on top!
- Peru serves bistec a lo pobre. This big meal includes fried plantains, fried eggs, fries, and rice.
Bistek in the Philippines
The Filipino version of this dish is called bistek Tagalog. It's a very popular meal from the Tagalog region of the Philippines.
How Bistek Tagalog is Made
Bistek Tagalog is made with thin strips of sirloin beef. The beef is often flattened to make it tender. Then, it's cooked slowly in a delicious sauce. This sauce is made from soy sauce, calamansi juice (a type of lime), garlic, and onions.
The onions are usually cut into rings. They are added near the end of cooking. This way, the onions get soft but still have a nice crunch! In Spanish-speaking countries, bistek Tagalog is sometimes called bistec encebollado or bistec tagalo. In English, it's often just called "beefsteak."
Pork Bistek
Sometimes, people in the Philippines make a version of bistek using pork instead of beef. This is called bistek na baboy, which means "pork bistek." They might use pork chops or slices of pork belly for this tasty variation.
