The Supreme Pacific Jasmine Musubi

Jasmine rice musubi with lacquered Spam — crisp sear, mirin-soy glaze, nori wrap, optional furikake. Compact coastal snack plate for three.

By Brandon Carroll

Yield: 3 servings

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: about 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain jasmine rice
• 1 1/8 cups water (for cooking the rice)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, optional (with the vinegar)
• Half of a 12-ounce can Spam (Classic or Low Sodium), about 6 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mirin (about 1/6 cup)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (naturally brewed)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 to 2 1/2 sheets nori, cut into 2-inch-wide strips
• Furikake, optional
• Water, in a small bowl, for wetting hands and sealing nori

Instructions

1. Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water, swirling with your fingers, until the water runs clear.
2. Combine the rinsed rice and 1 1/8 cups water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer. Cover tightly and cook 15 minutes.
3. Kill the heat and let the pot sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff gently. If using rice vinegar and kosher salt, fold them in lightly. Cool until warm, not piping hot.
4. Turn the Spam out of the tin (save the tin for molding if you do not have a musubi mold). Slice into 8 to 10 even pieces so they cook and glaze evenly.
5. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sear the Spam until deep golden and crisp on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
6. Lower heat to medium. Whisk mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Pour over the Spam. Let the liquid bubble and reduce to a thick, syrupy glaze that clings. Flip often until the slices are mahogany and lacquered. Remove from heat.
7. Line the cleaned Spam tin with plastic wrap, leaving overhang (or set a musubi mold on a clean strip of nori).
8. Lay a nori strip on the board. Set the mold in the center. Wet your hands, scoop about 1/3 cup warm rice into the mold, and press firmly so the puck holds. Sprinkle furikake if using.
9. Top with one glazed Spam slice and press again. Lift out with the plastic overhang or mold plunger.
10. Wrap the nori around the rice and Spam. Dab water on the end of the nori to seal. Repeat with the remaining rice and Spam.
11. Eat while the nori is still crisp and the rice is fragrant, or wrap individually in plastic for later.