The 3-Ingredient Filipino Fried Rice That Goes Great With Anything

Many Filipino children grew up to the smell of toasting garlic wafting from the kitchen in the morning. This is because of a simple dish called sinangag, derived from the Tagalog word for "fry." It's a rice dish that is savory, hot, and filling, and it's commonly served alongside eggs, tapa, or classic silog meals. In other words, it's a breakfast food that evokes a nostalgic, comforting feeling. It's incredibly simple to prepare, and don't worry — it goes with way more meals than just breakfast ones.

To make this perfect fried rice, you only need three ingredients: cooked rice, oil, and garlic. Salt and pepper are also used, but pepper is not strictly necessary. First, slice, grind, or chop a whole bunch of garlic, and add some oil to a pan. A wok is customary, if you have one. Choose an oil that has a high smoke point, then add the garlic to it and begin heating on low until it's fried and browned.

At this point, add your salted rice, preferably some that has been sitting in the fridge overnight. Grains of leftover rice tend to be firmer and work better for frying. Toss and stir the crisped garlic, infused oil, and rice until the mixture is fully integrated. After about five minutes, you'll have lightly browned, flavorful garlic rice that proves you can eat whatever you want for breakfast. Keep in mind that in order to be true sinangag, it has to be pan-fried, so just adding crispy garlic on top of boiled rice won't do.

To understand why sinangag is so beloved and useful, you have to understand a little about its origins. This dish comes from a practice of limiting food waste. Indigenous people in the Philippines have long had heavily rice-based diets, so sinangag was made as a way to eat up leftover rice from the day before, thereby making use of every grain.

The food-saving origin means the dish has always been a simple one with straightforward flavors. The lightly spicy, sharp taste of the garlic also pairs well with smoked meats, eggs, vegetables, and more. For a fusion twist, think about how well garlic complements Spanish, Japanese, or Italian foods. Because the flavors are so basic and pleasing, it means sinangag is versatile enough to hang with whatever dish sits down at the table.

If this side dish still seems too simple and you want to customize it to better suit certain meals, that's easy to do. For some protein, you can make sinangag into an egg fried rice by just adding scrambled egg during the frying process. For a richer mouthfeel, include some unsweetened coconut cream when making the rice the day before. Fry it with chili oil if you have a desire to make things spicy. To turn it from a side dish into a complete meal, add some cut veggies and top with scallions for a varied texture. Shrimp and adobo flakes are common additions in the Philippines, but it's hard to beat the simple, classic original — especially if you're looking for breakfast recipes that are perfect for garlic lovers.