Spam Musubi & Sushi rice

We eat this all the time!!   I hope you enjoy this recipe.  It does vary depending on how much you make.  I like to double the sauce.   

Sushi Rice

• 2 cups uncooked Nishiki Sushi Rice (there are other brands, this is my favorite)
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (you can use canola and even olive oil)
• 1/4 cup white sugar (or a sugar substitute)
• 1 teaspoon salt (I like to use pink himalayan salt) 

1. Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander with cool water until the water runs clear. Combine with water in a medium saucepan (give it a good stir). Bring to a boil (stir again), then reduce the heat to low, cover the rice and cook for 20 minutes. When done the rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. Cool until cool enough to handle.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool, then stir into the cooked rice. When you pour this in to the rice it will seem very wet. Keep stirring and the rice will dry as it cools.

Spam musubi

• 1/4 cup soy sauce  (you can use low sodium)
• 1/3 cup mirin (it is a rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons honey sugar, or regular sugar (you can use stevia but I would use less by a half tbsp)
• 12 slices SPAM  (you can use teriyaki spam also)
• 3-5 sheets nori or seaweed 10-12 inch squares (something else that is easy: cut them in 2x2 squares and set them on top)
• 2-3 cups sticky rice hot or room temperature (I have the perfect sushi rice recipe above!)

1. Set everything out.  Slice up your spam.  I usually get about 6-8 good slices.  Depends on how thick or thin you like it.
2. Now you are going to put the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar in to a small saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until everything is dissolved and mixed together.  Then let sit on very low simmer while cooking the spam.  I use a heat-resistant rubber whisk and mix everything together while cooking.   
3. While your sauce is simmering cook up the spam.  I use a large skillet and fry both side till they are a nice golden crispy.  
4. You can either pour the sauce in to the skillet with the fried spam or put the fried spam in the saucepan (my preference).

putting it together

1. Using a Spam Musubi Press (or you can use the Spam can).   Place a piece of the cut nori on a plate.  Position press on top of the nori so the length of the press is in the middle of the nori (widthwise). The press and the width of the nori should fit exactly the length of a slice of Spam. (Note: If you do not have a musubi maker, you can use the empty Spam can by opening both sides, creating a musubi mold.) Spread about 1/4 cup (use your judgement) cooked rice across the bottom of the musubi maker, on top of the nori.  Press rice down with flat part of the press to compact the rice until it is 1/4-inch thick (add more rice if necessary). Place a slice of Spam on top of the rice (it should cover most of the length of the musubi maker). Cover with an additional 1/4 cup cooked rice; press until 1/4-inch thick. Remove the musubi from the press by pushing the whole stack down (with the flat part of the press) while lifting off the press. Fold one end of nori over the musubi and press lightly onto the rice. Wet the remaining end slightly with water, then wrap over musubi and other piece of nori; press down on the other end. cut log into 4 pieces.
2. There are a ton of tricks to making this at home for beginners.  I once used a deep cookie sheet.   I layered the sheet with a thin layer of the sushi rice.  Then placed the spam evenly all over the top, covering the rice.  Then I placed another layer of sushi rice.  I used parchment paper and covered it.  Then I took a cookie sheet that was slightly smaller and pressed it down on top of the rice.   Once I knew that everything was pressed as much as possible I lifted up the cookie sheet and pulled back the parchment paper.  Then I grabbed the pastry cutter and cut the Spam Musubi up (imagine cutting up brownies)  Once I was cut them in to perfect sizes I wrapped them up with the sushi.  Everyone enjoyed them!