Description
Spam Musubi is a beloved Hawaiian snack that combines marinated cooked Spam with vinegared rice wrapped in nori seaweed, perfect as a quick and satisfying treat. This recipe features soaking the rice for improved texture, a flavorful marinade for the Spam, and a simple assembly method that yields authentic-tasting musubi.
Ingredients
Rice and Vinegar Mixture
- 2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ cup white sugar
Marinade and Spam
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 (12 ounce) container fully cooked luncheon meat (such as Spam)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Assembly
- 5 sheets sushi nori (dry seaweed)
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Assemble all required ingredients to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Soak Rice: Soak the uncooked short-grain rice in enough water to cover it for 4 hours. This hydrates the grains and improves their final texture. After soaking, drain and rinse the rice thoroughly.
- Cook Rice: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the soaked rice, stir once, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and water is absorbed.
- Season Rice: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 6 tablespoons of rice vinegar into the hot rice to give it that classic sushi tang. Allow the rice to cool to room temperature or slightly warm for easier handling.
- Prepare Marinade: In a medium bowl, mix together ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, and ¼ cup oyster sauce until the sugar dissolves completely. This creates a savory and slightly sweet marinade for the Spam.
- Marinate Spam: Slice the Spam lengthwise into 10 even slices. Place the slices in the marinade and let them soak for 5 minutes to absorb the flavorful sauce.
- Cook Spam: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the marinated Spam slices until they turn lightly browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side, enhancing flavor and texture.
- Prepare Nori: Cut each sushi nori sheet in half to create 10 pieces. Lay one piece flat on your work surface to prepare for assembly.
- Form Rice Base: Place a rice press or mold in the center of a nori piece. Pack cooked rice tightly inside the press to create a firm rice block, roughly the size and shape of the Spam slice.
- Assemble Musubi: Place one cooked Spam slice on top of the formed rice. Carefully remove the rice press, then wrap the nori around the rice and Spam, sealing the edges with a little water to hold the shape. Alternatively, you can shape the rice by hand into blocks about 1-inch thick matching the Spam slices.
- Serve: The Spam musubi can be served warm or chilled according to preference, making it a versatile snack or light meal.
Notes
- Soaking the rice for several hours improves its texture and stickiness, essential for musubi.
- You can substitute Spam with other luncheon meats if preferred.
- Use a musubi mold or rice press for neat and uniform shapes, but shaping by hand works well too.
- Adjust sugar in the marinade to your preferred level of sweetness.
- Serve musubi with soy sauce or sriracha for an added kick if desired.
