Spam & Eggs

I know, I know, SPAM? Again?

SPAM eggs and rice is said to be the most popular breakfast in Hawaii. Hawaii leads the U.S. in consumption meat product, a leftover from the fresh meat lean WWII days. So popular is "Hawaiian Steak" (Hawaiians consume six cans per capita a year) that even the big junk food chains have re-created regional favorites that use SPAM and offer them on their menus. SPAM masubi, available almost everywhere, is perhaps one of the most famous of the Hawaiian SPAM dishes.

One of the reasons for SPAM's popularity on the islands is probably at least partially due to its preparation. In Hawaii, rather than just plopping raw cold spam between two slices of wonder bread, SPAM in Hawaii is thoroughly cooked, often grilled. Thinly sliced, and pan fried for a crispy outside, salty SPAM becomes more like bacon than mushy, pink, canned meat product.

The preparation is as simple as it is tasty. All you need is a cup of cooked white rice per serving, scrambled eggs and a couple thin slices of SPAM fried on medium-heat in a non-stick skillet until crispy brown. Try it. It might surprise you.

Tamago Spam Musubi

I know what you're thinking...Spam? Well, that's what I thought too, until I tried this salty/sweet Hawaiian snack and became an instant fan. Don't knock it till you try it. You might be pleasantly suprised.

This dish is a variation that includes a bit of Japanese omelet. To enjoy the original version, just leave off the Tamago.

For the Tamago
2 eggs
1/4 tsp dashi dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 tsp Mirin
1/4 tsp sugar
2 dashes soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil

Beat the eggs with the dashi stock, mirin, sugar and soy. Heat a medium non-stick skillet on medium low heat. Pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture rolling the pan to create a thin omelet. When the egg just sets, roll the egg into about a two inch wide omlete and flatten with the spatula. Push the omelet to the edge of the skillet and add another 1/4 of the egg mixture holding the bottom of the omelet up so the mixture gets underneath the omelet. When the new layer is set roll the old omelet within the new omelet and flatten. Repeat this process till the egg mixture is used up. When done, the Tamago should look something like this.


Cut the Tamago into four pieces about the same size as your Spam slices. Now for the Spam part.

3 cups cooked white rice
4 slices Spam
4 strips of nori cut into approx 2 inch strips
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vegetable oil

Turn the skillet up to medium heat. Fry the Spam in the vegetable oil until the edges are crispy brown and remove. For the sauce, combine the oyster and soy sauce, Mirin and sugar and stir until dissolved.

On a cutting board lay a strip of nori and place the sushi mold crossed in the center of the nori strip. Add 1/4 of the rice and press firmly with the mold press. When the rice is firm, reduce the pressure on the press abit while you lift the box to remove the rice.

Place a piece of tamago and a piece of sushi on top of the rice. Now gently wrap the nori around the assembled Musubi, which your rice should still be sitting on completely around the rice, tamago and Spam. Join the Nori ends with a dab of water.

Repeat process until you have four Musubi. Pour the sauce on top of each piece.

Serves 2