May 4

May 4 Spam Musubi

How to get a taste of Hawai’i at home.

The backstory

I’ve lived on the mainland for over 11 years. While there are many differences between island and mainland living, one cultural gap I want to bridge is this stigma with Spam. [megaphone hands] Spam. Is. Delicious.

If you’re not on board, you just don’t know. This is a Spam stans only blog post and I’m here to offer anyone craving a taste of this local classic their fix.

As we head into summer, Spam musubi makes me think of potlucks at the beach. Some of my happiest memories are of gathering with friends and family at Ala Moana Beach - yes by the mall. The spread would be at least two different kinds of Spam musubi, probably a bucket of KFC chicken, mom’s mochiko chicken, mac salad, somen salad (Japanese-style noodle salad), fresh fruit, kalbi (Korean-style short ribs), all the rice, Zippy’s chili, brownies or lemon bars and all kinds of poke in the cooler. And POG.

Now I’m officially homesick. Good thing I have leftover Spam musubi. Now it’s your turn. Go make ‘em. Go!

The recipe

Spam Musubi
Makes 8
Time: About 20 minutes, not including time to cook rice

Tip: Get this $5.99 mold to make assembly easier.

Ingredients:
1 12-oz can of Spam (I get the one with less sodium)
4 cups calrose rice
1/4 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
1/4 cup Korean BBQ sauce (optional)
3 tbsp sugar
4 sheets of nori

Instructions:
Cook your rice. We use a Zojirushi rice cooker that my mom gave us as a wedding gift.

Cut your Spam into 8 even slices.

Mix the shoyu, Korean BBQ sauce (optional) and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves and set aside. If you’re using the Korean BBQ sauce, use less sugar and sweeten to taste.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.

Place the slices of Spam into the pan, lightly browning on each side.

Pour the shoyu mixture into the pan, leaving a quarter of the mixture for assembly. When the shoyu turns syrupy, remove from heat.

Cut your nori in half, lengthwise.

Now it’s assembly time! It’s easy. Just scoop, press, place, brush and wrap.

Scoop the cooked rice into your mold. Filling it, without compressing it, to the top of the mold.

Press the rice, not too firmly, just enough so that it takes its shape. After pressing, the rice should fill about 2/3 of the mold. You’ll find your preferred Spam to rice ratio over time.

Place the Spam on top.

Brush the Spam with the leftover shoyu mixture. Don’t go nuts otherwise it’ll make the nori soggy. No soggy nori!

Wrap the Spam and rice in your sheet of nori. There are different schools of thought here. You can place the nori under the rice and then roll from one end to the other. Or, wrap from above and tuck the ends of the nori under. Try both!

Repeat with the other 7 slices of Spam. To really get into the island spirit, play Apple Music Hawaiian Radio when making your Spam musubi.