While we’re all shut up in our homes with crazy kids, screaming into a pillow just waiting for the world to move along, we have to cook with what we can scrounge up at the half-barren grocery store. You know what that means? Spam!
Yep, that World War II-staple meat in a can that the Hawaiians seem abnormally to adore is actually pretty good. I’ll admit, before I cooked with it the other day, I had never eaten Spam. I mean, it’s meat in a can, so that’s weird. Not to mention, they don’t do a great job of marketing. In the end, though, Spam is actually tasty, and right now, just like in the hard times of World War II, it’s a reliable protein.
How do you cook with Spam? The answer is several ways, but this Spam fried rice I made the other night — which my kids loved — is a great place to start.
Here’s everything I used to make the dish:
- one can of regular Spam
- a couple eggs
- chopped garlic
- chopped onions
- chopped carrots
- halved grape tomatoes
- chopped chives
- fish sauce
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- ginger
- frozen peas
- rice
Step One: Cook the rice per the instructions on the box, then spread it out on a sheet pan to cool and air dry. This will make it a little drier and better for the stir fry.
Step Two: Remove the Spam from the can and slice it into equal-size pieces.
Step Three: Fry the Spam in a skillet with a bit of fat in the pan (butter, oil, etc.) Flip until both sides are golden brown, then remove to a paper-lined plate to drain.
Step Four: Add the onions and carrots to that same skillet and cook on medium-high heat until tender. Add a few dashes of soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil to taste. I used quite a bit, but that’s up to you.
Step Five: When the onions and carrots are done, add the frozen peas and garlic.
Step Six: Making room in the pan for a blank spot, add the cracked and beaten eggs, cooking them until they’re done to your preference. Then mix them into the rest of the skillet.
Step Seven: Cut each piece of Spam into quarters. Add the Spam, halved tomatoes, and dried rice to the pan. Add additional soy sauce to taste, and a spoonful of shredded ginger (you can get it in a jar at the store). Stir, taste, and add as much pepper as you’d like.
Step Eight: Spoon into a bowl and top it with chopped chives and as much sriracha as you can stand. Ta-da, it’s Spam fried rice!
So if you can’t find a fancy rib roast or even some chicken breasts readily available at your local plague-ravaged market, grab a can of Spam and make some damn tasty Spam fried rice.
