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Hawaiian Spam Musubi Recipe

Hawaiian Spam Musubi Recipe
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★★★★★

4.8 from 23 reviews

Hawaiian Spam Musubi is a delicious and iconic snack featuring caramelized slices of Spam layered over seasoned sushi rice and wrapped in crispy seaweed. This easy-to-make treat combines sweet, salty, and savory flavors with tender rice for a perfect handheld bite, commonly enjoyed as a popular grab-and-go meal in Hawaii.

Ingredients

Scale

Sushi Rice

  • 1 ½ cup dry short grain sushi rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Caramelized Spam

  • 1 can (12 oz) Spam
  • 2 ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water

Assembly

  • 3 sheets roasted seaweed nori, cut into 2 inch wide strips
  • Plastic wrap for lining the mold

Instructions

  1. Prepare the rice: Wash the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Add the rinsed rice and 2 cups of water into a rice cooker and cook according to the machine’s instructions. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Once the rice is cooked, drizzle the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fold it in with a rice paddle to evenly season without mashing the grains.
  2. Cook the spam: Remove Spam from the can and slice into approximately ¼ inch thick slices. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the Spam slices. Cook for about 4 minutes total, letting them brown and become crispy on the edges. Flip the slices after 2 minutes for even cooking.
  3. Caramelize the spam: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and water. Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the Spam slices and flip them quickly to coat both sides with sugar for around 30 seconds. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the skillet, swirl it to combine with the sugar, and flip the Spam slices to evenly distribute the glaze. Let the slices simmer gently for 4 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and caramelizes around the meat.
  4. Assemble the musubi: Line an empty Spam can or a rectangular mold with plastic wrap for easy removal. Add about ½ cup of the seasoned sushi rice into the mold, pressing gently to compact. Carefully remove the shaped rice block. Place a strip of nori on your workspace, then place a slice of caramelized Spam at the bottom of the nori strip. Put the rice block on top of the Spam, then roll the nori tightly around the Spam and rice, sealing the end strip by wetting it with a little water. Place the musubi seam-side down to keep it closed. Repeat to assemble remaining musubi pieces. For variation, add a slice of rolled egg omelette inside the wrap for a breakfast version.

Notes

  • Use short grain sushi rice for the best sticky texture to hold the musubi together.
  • Caramelizing the Spam gives it a perfect sweet and savory glaze typical of authentic musubi.
  • If you don’t have a Spam-shaped mold, a small rectangular container lined with plastic wrap works well for shaping rice blocks.
  • Serve musubi at room temperature or slightly warm for optimal flavor.
  • Store leftover musubi wrapped in cling film in the refrigerator and consume within 1-2 days for best freshness.

Nutrition

Keywords: Hawaiian Spam Musubi, Spam recipe, musubi, sushi rice snack, caramelized Spam, nori roll, easy Hawaiian food

Find it online: https://www.sanacooks.com/hawaiian-spam-musubi-recipe/