Spam musubi is a popular Hawaiian treat made with rice, spam, and nori. It is a cultural icon in Hawaii, where spam is widely consumed and celebrated. The dish is based on a Japanese dish called musubi or onigiri and can be found in convenience stores and gourmet restaurants across the Hawaiian islands.
Spam musubi is a popular treat in the US state of Hawaii, where it has become somewhat of a cultural icon. For continents, musubi spam may seem a bit mysterious, as the main ingredient is spam, a processed meat product that meets derision in many parts of the world. To Hawaiians, however, Spam musubi references Hawaii’s rich cultural history, integrating Hawaii’s regional love of spamming and Japanese influences into a dish that can be found on every Hawaiian island, from convenience stores to gourmet restaurants.
Before we delve into the specifics of Spam musubi, it may be helpful to explain the Spam cult in Hawaii. Hawaii, after all, hosts an annual spam festival, and the islanders take their spam very seriously. Spam spread to Hawaii during World War II when an influx of soldiers introduced Hawaiians to the corned beef product, as fresh meat was quite scarce. Hawaiians have acquired a taste for spam, pairing it with other regional specialties, and it has made its way into the hearts of many Hawaiians.
Spam musubi is based on a Japanese dish also known as musubi or onigiri. Onigiri is made by squeezing salted rice into a block, mounting a piece of raw fish on top, and then wrapping the group in nori to make it into a neat package. Onigiri isn’t technically sushi, because the rice isn’t seasoned with vinegar, but it’s a popular offering at sushi restaurants and is a very common food in Hawaii, thanks to the large Japanese population.
To prepare Spam musubi, cooks compress a block of rice and then add a piece of Spam which is often fried or cooked to enhance its flavour, before wrapping the musubi in nori and serving. Flavored spam may be used, along with a fried egg, and sometimes Japanese seasoning or teriyaki sauce is added to the mix. Many Hawaiians use a musubi press, designed to compact the rice to the needed density.
This Hawaiian snack can be found literally everywhere. Some adventurous continents try a piece of Spam musubi when they visit Hawaii to get a taste of the local culture; they can also try an assortment of other dishes that include spam. Spam musubi has also achieved gourmet status, showing up in some high-end Hawaiian restaurants as the cornerstone of Hawaiian cuisine.
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