Vegan "Spam" Musubi

A great quick Hawaiian snack influenced by the Japanese, the musubi requires only 3 main ingredients—rice, Spam and seaweed. It became popular after World War II, when food was scarce and canned food was heavily supplied. It then became a home staple and delicacy. The beauty of this is that it only requires simple basic ingredients and has a strong history. For this version, we’ll be using vegan luncheon. And there are no strict measurements here, everything is all about personal preferences and taste.

Vegan “Spam” Musubi

Recipe Type: Appetizers Hearty Entrees

YIELDS 6 servings

PREP TIME 10 min

COOK TIME 05 min

TOTAL TIME 15 min

3-4 cups cooked rice
5-6x strips of seaweed
1 pack of vegan luncheon (I used OmniPork)
2 tbsp oil

Directions

1. Grease 1 tbsp of oil on a square tray (this helps make it easier to flip over the rice later). You may also use non-stick paper if you prefer.

2. Transfer your precooked rice and press firmly as you mold your rice to hold its shape.

3. Oil your knife to easily cut into 6 rectangles (as the shape of the vegan spam). You can also use a rice sushi molder if you do have one—in this case, it is still possible to make it by improvising 🙂

4. On a hot non stick pan, heat up 1 tbsp oil and fry your vegan spam until golden brown.

5. Place your spam on top of each rectangle rice and wrap with a seaweed strip.

6. You can also get creative with adding more fillings such as cucumber, bell pepper or vegan egg in between the vegan spam and seaweed. Drizzle with vegan mayo (optional) and glazed with a sweeten soy sauce. Add toasted white sesame seeds and avocado slices for an extra kick of texture and healthy fats.

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Photo: Bel Faustino