Spam

Although Spam isn't particularly popular in the contiguous United States, it's a protein staple in Hawaii. Spam is everywhere in Hawaii in various incarnations: Spam fried rice, Spam and eggs, Spam sandwiches, Spam sushi, etc.

My boyfriend M lived in Hawaii for several years, and as a result has a penchant for all(most all) things Spam. When we first started dating, I was skeptical about the lunchmeat. I had eaten it a time or two when I visited Hawaii, and I hadn't been particularly impressed. But M made me two variations that have changed my mind about Spam!! I made both today:

Spam and Eggs

The first is Spam and eggs and rice. Spam for breakfast is sooooo good :) I just slice up the Spam, dip in soy sauce, and fry with a little bit of oil. Spam is already cooked so you can cook it to your preferred level of done-ness; I prefer mine a little crispy on the edges. Usually M prefers lots of ketchup on his Spam-eggs-rice, but I have successfully converted him to Sriracha, hehe. I like ketchup too, but I prefer a little kick in my food.

Spam musubi

The second is Spam musubi. Spam musubi is so good! The saltiness of the Spam is great with lots of rice and nori. Plus it's the perfect on-the-go food, kind of like Japanese onigiri (posts on onigiri to follow!) Spam musubi is everywhere in Hawaii... restaurants, McDonald's, 7-11. I didn't have a lot of rice left over from breakfast, so at first I wanted to make the Spam musubi with only one layer of rice, one slice of spam on top, and wrapped in nori. But M, ever the spam purist, ridiculed that style as the "kind of Spam musubi at 7-11." So I went with two layers of rice surrounding the spam, wrapped up completely with nori. Yum yum yum!

Spam musubi
Ingredients:

• 1 can of Spam
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• oil
  
• 2-3 cups of cooked rice (white, medium or short grain preferred)
  
• sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
  
• Spam musubi mold, or empty Spam can with top and bottom removed using can opener
  

1. Combine soy sauce and sugar in a shallow bowl.
2. Slice Spam crosswise into 1/4-1/2-inch thick pieces. Place in soy sauce mixture and marinate for 5 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a skillet on high heat. Place Spam in skillet and fry for a minute or two on each side, or until lightly browned.
4. Cut nori into sheets so that the width of the nori is the same as the length of the Spam.
5. Place the mold on one end of the nori. Arrange one layer of rice on the bottom of the mold and pack lightly. Top the rice with one slice of Spam and another layer of rice. Pack down the sushi and lift the mold. Roll the Spam musubi along the nori to wrap.

I used mini cookie cutters to make the heart and star "mini spam musubi." They will be in my bento lunches later on this week. They are so cute, I am in love with them! Even the purist approved of these. :)