Spam musubi was one of the first meals that came to mind when I started feeling homesick. Even though it’s a Hawaiian dish, it’s definitely right up my alley as a blend of Japanese and American sensibilities.
I had stocked up pretty well on food that was either nonperishable or could be easily frozen and thawed. The store shelves had been emptied of rice, pasta, beans, canned fish, and so on, but weirdly enough the Spam was basically untouched. I checked with my brother and over in the states Spam was definitely sold out everywhere. I guess Australians just didn’t know what to make of it.
- Cook rice, ideally sushi rice, or short-grain, in a rice cooker or on the stove.
- Open a can of spam and slice into sixths or eighths.
- Grill Spam slices over medium heat, with 1 tbsp soy sauce to add a bit of color.
- Split nori sheets into long strips, either thirds or quarters.
- Place a scoop of rice in the center of a nori strip, and use the bottom of the Spam can to pack the rice into a shape that matches the Spam slice. Add the grilled Spam slide and top with another layer of rice. Optionally season with furikake to taste.
- Wrap the nori all the way around rice and spam, then wet your fingers in water to seal the assembly.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.
You can substitute a mix of cauliflower rice and cream cheese in place of rice. The keto version holds up better when cold since the cauliflower rice doesn’t stick together as much as regular rice.
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