Triple Garlic Fried Rice

Triple Garlic Fried Rice (Filipino Sinangag Recipe)

More garlic please

This is one of the staples in the Philippines that I believe has been overlooked – not forgotten, but rather taken for granted, especially by me. I’ve always had garlic fried rice, so it has always felt very ordinary to me.

There was this one video I watched where people were trying sinangag for the first time, and every one of them talked about how good it was. It made me feel a sense of pride, but at the same time, I was surprised. I guess when you grow up with a certain food or become so familiar with its flavour, you forget how magical it can be for people trying it for the first time.

Sometimes I wish I could experience that again, but since I can’t, I want other people to have that experience. Garlic fried rice is truly a staple of Filipino breakfast. It’s a simple dish with banging flavours.

There is no such thing as too much garlic in this dish, and after eating it, you’ll only want more. I love eating it with dried fish, like tuyo or daing, while my mom likes to eat it with a dish called paksiw. Whatever you pair it with, I’m 100% sure that once you try it, you’ll keep craving it!

This is my version of our classic sinangag. I didn’t change the recipe much because, why change what’s not broken? I just added more garlic because, say it with me… you can’t have too much garlic.

Breaking Down the Recipe:

What is Sinangag (Filipino Garlic Fried Rice)?

Sinangag is Filipino fried rice cooked with garlic, which can be minced or left whole, and is usually seasoned with salt and pepper. I like adding a little Knorr Liquid Seasoning for an extra boost of umami. It is commonly eaten for breakfast in the Philippines and is a beloved local staple.

Now, I know garlic may be known for its sharp taste, especially when eaten raw, but this dish will change your mind. My recipe uses two cooking methods for garlic: fried and roasted. The sharp, almost spicy flavour of garlic becomes milder when it’s fried, making it more savoury. When it’s slowly roasted, it starts to caramelize and provides a hint of sweetness that helps brighten the dish.

The way you prepare your garlic when cooking fried rice affects the overall flavour, giving you different layers of depth. You’ll look at garlic in a completely different way after trying this recipe!

Why Use Day-Old Rice for Fried Rice?

Fried rice should not be mushy! The goal of fried rice is to coat each grain with oil, which is why it should be loose and not clumpy. The way you can achieve this is by using day-old rice (we’re putting those leftovers to good use)!

Freshly cooked rice has too much moisture, so when you try to fry it, it can either become mushy or too wet. Day-old rice, specifically rice that has been stored in the fridge, has less moisture because the cool air helps dry it out as some of the moisture evaporates. This helps the rice maintain its structure when fried in a pan.

So, to conclude, you can skip roasting the garlic for this recipe, but you cannot skip using day-old rice, as it can make or break your dish!

Instructions:

*Detailed instructions and tips available in the recipe card below.

Roasting Garlic in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F. While the oven is preheating, cut off the top of the garlic bulb.

Place it on a piece of foil large enough to cover the entire bulb, then drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.

Cover it with the foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Once done, let it cool on the side.

Frying the Garlic: Mince your garlic cloves into small pieces, but not too finely.

In a cold pan, pour in your oil and minced garlic. Turn on the heat and let the garlic cook over medium heat.

Continuously stir until it turns slightly brown.

Immediately transfer it to a strainer to stop the cooking and prevent the garlic from burning.

You now have your garlic oil and garlic bits.

Fried Rice: In your pan, pour in some of the oil from the fried garlic and heat over medium heat.

Once hot, add your day-old rice and stir, making sure everything is well coated with the oil.

Add in your garlic bits and roasted garlic by squeezing the roasted garlic out of the bulb.

Stir everything well until every grain of rice is coated with garlic and topped with the garlic bits.

Enjoy with a sunny-side-up egg and your choice of breakfast protein (like Tapa or Bacon) – just make sure to eat with someone who loves garlic as much as you do because of the garlic breath (worth it, though).

Fun fact: Jollibee Philippines actually serves garlic rice with their famous fried chicken as part of their breakfast menu!

Equipment:

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