Recipepapa Loves his Spam Musubi

What is Spam Musubi? Well if you read my previous post you would know that the Spam I am referring to is the wonderful luncheon meat created by Hormel in 1937. If you aren’t familiar with Japanese cuisine you won’t know what a musubi is. Simply put, musubi is a Japanese rice ball. Actually musubi are more triangular than spherical. However in Okinawa (the southern islands of Japan), musubi are actually shaped into balls.

Spam musubi are neither triangular nor spherical but rectangular in shape to match a slice of Spam. Spam musubi are made many numerous ways but every Spam has these four things in common:

1) Rectangular in shape
2) Made with white rice
3) 1 slice of Spam
4) Usually wrapped with toasted nori (Japanese seaweed)

Because the ingredients used to make Spam musubi are so common you can make them wherever you are. All you need is a rice cooker, a can of Spam, and a Spam musubi maker which you can purchase on-line from Amazon for about 10 bucks. So if you have a friend or special someone from Hawaii you want to impress don’t go out and spend big bucks on a fancy dinner, make them Spam musubi instead. If made correctly the Spam musubi will bring them back to their days living in Hawaii.

Below is a Spam musubi recipe. Search the internet for different variations.


Spam Musubi

Ingredients:
• 1 can
• Musubi Nori
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• Soy sauce
• Sugar

Method:
Cook rice as directed in a rice cooker or on the stove top. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Cut Spam into 1/4- ½ inch thick slices lengthwise depending on your preference. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Fry Spam with a mixture of soy sauce and sugar. Some people even add Mirin (Japanese Rice Wine). Fry both sides until soy and sugar have caramelized. Remove to a dish lined with paper towels and continue with the rest of the Spam.
Cut Nori into strips as wide as the spam. Place a single sheet of cut Nori on a work surface and place Musubi mold over the center of the nori strip. Place spam in press and carefully fill press with about 3/4 cup rice. Place top on press and apply firm pressure to mold rice into the proper shape. Remove body of press, then remove top carefully. Wrap Nori over the sides and around the back of the Musubi.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Spam musubi are usually wrapped in Saran Wrap to keep the rice from drying out and getting hard.



Acrylic Spam Musubi Maker