Spam Musubi is basically sushi’s bad-ass Hawaiian cousin. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, and great for a quick bite any time of the day.
Spam. More. Spam
As simple as they are delicious, musubis are classic Hawaiian snacks with crispy Spam slices glazed with the perfect sweet-savoury sauce then placed on pressed rice and wrapped in toasted seaweed. Some even call these Hawaiian Spam sushi due to it’s uncanny resemblance! Though I’ve never been to Hawaii (but it’s definitely on my bucket list), I’ve heard that musubis can be found in every 7-Eleven and go for just a $1 each!
Fun fact – the main difference between Hawaiian Spam musubis and traditional Japanese sushi is that the rice in musubis does not contain any vinegar.
The Magical Musubis
It is currently summer in the UK and if you’ve heard anything about the current weather conditions, you’ll know that all we’ve been getting is torrential rain and strong winds. That ONE weekend where we had actual summer weather – clear blue skies and the whole shebang – I packed these spam musubis in my backpack and went to the Lake District for a hike. Halfway through, we decided to stop by the lake for a picnic. Took these babies out of my bag and when I bit into them, it was MAGICAL – there’s honestly no other mid-hike fuel I would rather have.
The sushi’s bad-ass Hawaiian cousin. Heat up some oil in a pan over medium heat. Depending on the size of your pan, add half or all the Spam slices in, ensuring that they don’t overlap. Fry for 2-3 minutes until browned and crisped, then flip over and repeat. If you added only half the slices in, set aside once ready and cook the other half of the slices. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake. With all the Spam slices in the pan, add the soy sauce mixture and swirl the pan around to evenly distribute. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In the meantime, prepare the nori strips. Stack the 3 sheets together and cut into thirds (this should give you 9 strips). Start assembling the musubis once the Spam is is enough to handle. Place a plastic wrap or ziplock in the can (such that it lines the sides) into your ‘mould’ (i.e. the can the Spam came in - don’t forget to wash it), then gently put a slice of Spam in. Add kewpie mayonnaise (1 teaspoon or so) in and spread. Add about 1/3 cup of rice and press down firmly on the rice, to form a rectangle of rice on top of the Spam. Tugging on the plastic wrap or ziplock, gently remove the almost-musubi from the mould and place it onto the middle of a nori strip (Spam side down). Fold both ends up and over the rice, sealing with a bit of water at the ends of the strip. Turn the musubi seam-side down and set aside while you make the rest. Repeat with the remaining nori strips. Serve and eat them right away or cover each individually with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to eat. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. 1. If you like, add some egg omelette in between the rice and the Spam (after the mayonnaise) or a generous sprinkling of furikake.
Spam Musubi
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Notes
2. This recipe is for a soy-glazed musubi. If you prefer a less saucier version, instead of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup iron, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons sake, use 1.5 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce.
