I never get tired of bangsilog for breakfast. You get fried bangus, garlic rice, and a fried egg on one plate. That is already a good breakfast for me. The fish fries nicely, the rice smells like toasted garlic, and I like the egg with a soft yolk so it runs into the rice.

I usually make this in Chicago, on the days I can get boneless milkfish at the Filipino store. I still do the same even after moving to Tampa. Good bangus is not always around, so I grab it when I see it. We have it for breakfast with black coffee, and that is how I like eating it at home. For this version I keep the fish simple and fry it in flour so it browns well. If you want the tangy kind instead, the marinated daing na bangus is a good way to go.

I try to time the rice, fish, and egg so they hit the plate while everything is still hot. Bangus loses its crisp fast when it sits too long, so I cook the rice first and fry the fish near the end.

What is Bangsilog?

Bangsilog is a Filipino breakfast of fried bangus (milkfish), sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (fried egg). The name is simple: bang comes from bangus, and silog comes from sinangag and itlog. That is also how names like tapsilog and longsilog are formed.

Silog meals work well in the morning. Rice, egg, and something fried can feed you fast. I have seen that same setup in homes, carinderias, tapsihan spots, and breakfast places back home. Bangus works well here because many of us already fry it for breakfast, and it is one of the most common fish in the country.

Bangsilog is lighter than tapsilog or longsilog because it uses fish. Milkfish is mild and flaky, so it does not feel too much even with garlic rice and egg. At home it shows up on weekend mornings, or any day there is bangus in the freezer, usually with sliced tomatoes and vinegar on the side.

What Makes This Bangsilog Work

Bangsilog is simple, but these details matter.

• Use cold rice. Fresh rice is too wet and clumps in the pan. Rice from the fridge is drier, so it fries into separate grains.
• Toast the garlic before the rice goes in. This flavors the oil first, so every grain of rice picks up that garlic taste. Save some of the crisp garlic for the top, which is the part that makes a good sinangag.
• Coat the fish lightly in flour. A thin layer helps the fish brown faster. You get a crisp outside without drying out the fish.
• Fry the egg last. Do it right before you serve so the yolk is still soft and warm when you break it over the rice.

Ingredients

For the Bangus:

• Boneless bangus – This is the main part of the plate. I like the boneless kind because it saves time, especially in the morning.
• All-purpose flour – A light coating that helps the fish brown and crisp.
• Cornstarch – This is an optional ingredient. It helps makes the breading crispier.
• Eggs – Fried and placed over the rice. I like mine with a soft yolk.

For the Sinangag:

• Leftover rice – Cold, day-old rice is best because it fries up dry and separate.
• Garlic – Minced and toasted for the flavor base, with some kept crisp for the top.

Used in both:

• Maggi Magic Sarap – An all-purpose seasoning that flavors the fish and the rice in one step.
• Cooking oil – For frying the garlic, rice, egg, and fish.

The bangus is the one thing I try to choose well. It is sold whole, as fillets, and as boneless butterflied fish. The boneless kind skips the slow job of picking out the fine bones, which I appreciate at breakfast. I find it fresh at markets back home and frozen at Filipino and Asian stores in the States. If you cannot find boneless bangus, I listed a few swaps below.

Each part is easy, so timing is the main thing. I cook the rice first, then the egg and fish near the end so everything reaches the plate hot.

1. Sprinkle and rub the Maggi Magic Sarap all over the boneless milkfish.
2. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan, add the minced garlic, and cook until golden brown. Remove the fried garlic and set it aside.
2. Add the cold leftover rice to the same pan. Toss and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Season the rice with Maggi Magic Sarap, add most of the fried garlic, and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Move the sinangag to a serving plate and scatter the rest of the garlic on top.

Keep the rice moving in the pan so it heats evenly and picks up the garlic oil.

1. Heat oil in a clean pan and fry the eggs to your preferred doneness. I go with a soft yolk.
2. Set the eggs over the garlic fried rice.

1. Dredge the seasoned milkfish in all-purpose flour (and cornstarch if preferred) until lightly coated.
2. Fry both sides in the remaining oil until golden brown and crisp.

Let the first side brown fully before turning so the coating sets and does not stick.

1. Arrange the fried bangus on the plate next to the sinangag and fried egg.
2. Serve with spicy vinegar such as sinamak on the side. I like vinegar with this because the fish is fried and salty.

What to Serve with Bangsilog

Bangsilog is already filling, but I like adding vinegar, tomatoes, or something fresh on the side.

• Black coffee – A cup of strong, unsweetened coffee is how we have this at home.
• Spiced vinegar (sinamak) – A garlicky, chili vinegar for dipping the fried bangus.
• Sliced fresh tomatoes – The usual side I like with fried fish.
• Atchara – Sweet and a little sour, which I like next to fried fish.
• Cucumber salad – Simple and fresh next to the bangus.

Storage

Bangsilog is best right after cooking, especially the fish. You can still save leftovers, but keep the parts separate.

• Refrigerator: Store the fried bangus, rice, and egg in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Keeping them apart keeps the fish from getting soggy too fast.
• Freezer: The fried bangus freezes for up to 2 months. Wrap each piece and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze the rice on its own and skip the egg.
• Reheating: Warm the bangus in a hot pan or oven to bring back the crisp. Reheat the rice in a pan with a little oil, and fry a fresh egg to finish.

More Filipino Breakfast Recipes

• Spicy Daing na Bangus – Marinated milkfish with a spicy, tangy kick.
• Fried Bangus – The plain marinated and fried milkfish.
• Longsilog – Use this when you want longganisa instead of fish.
• Corned Beef Silog – A quick silog plate made with canned corned beef.
• Danggit Silog – Crispy dried fish with garlic rice and egg.

• Boneless bangus – Bangus belly works and stays moist. A mild white fish like tilapia fillet is the easiest swap when milkfish is not around.
• All-purpose flour – Cornstarch or rice flour gives an even crispier coating.
• Leftover rice – If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill it first so it dries out.
• Cooking oil – Any neutral oil works. A little of the garlic oil left in the pan flavors the egg.

Try this bangsilog the next time you have boneless bangus in the freezer. A cup of black coffee on the side makes it even better.