Spam Musubis: A worthy heart problem

My grandfather is someone who loves to cook. It is not only a habit, but a passion of his. He was born in American Samoa, and started cooking to provide for his family of fourteen at a very young age. As he moved to Hawaii at twenty and to the mainland at twenty-two, his love for cooking remained the same, or if not only grew. He even ended up getting a job as a chef for the San Francisco 49ers because of his culinary talents. His main passion though is cooking for his family, and if anyone knows Samoan families, they do not come in small numbers. Even to this day at the young age of seventy-four, he is still in the kitchen cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for his wife, kids and grandkids, and occasionally for Church functions.

As a child, I was attached to my mothers parents like glue. I would spend every second with them from morning to night, so I got to witness my grandfather, “Dad,” in the kitchen from a very young age. Seeing him make all these different dishes always amazed me, how he can take so many different ingredients and make them blend so well. Being that he learned to cook in the islands, most of his dishes are of Polynesian descent, but I was never picky so I loved them all. However, my favorite dish of his has always been spam musubis, a Hawaiian dish consisting of rice, Spam, sauce, all wrapped in seaweed that can either be eaten as a main or side entrée (I do it as both since this is my comfort food).

On my eighth birthday, we held a little party at my house and all my parent’s siblings and their children came. We had hats and everything, but it was the food that made this one of the most memorable days I’ve had, and I am very aware of how this makes my childhood sound but it’s true.

My grandparents volunteered to do the menu, but when they walked in, they did not have any aluminum pans or pots in hand, just plastic bags and a gift. When my parents looked at them in question my grandpa quickly reassured them.

“I’m going to teach you how to make musubis!” Dad yelled from the door lifting up the bag with Spam and seaweed, Mom quickly following behind with precooked rice.

As he pulled out the musubi presser and ingredients out of the bag and began walking me through the recipe, I followed along as his sous chef with the biggest smile on my face that a chubby little eight year old girl can have.

Dad in his element

Even as a child, the main thing I have always loved about this dish was how it is so simple, yet so addicting! I can eat seven without pause, and I have. The main ingredient is of course Spam, the famed canned meat that gained its popularity in the islands during WWII.

Throughout the years though, the ingredients to the Spam musubi have changed due to the changing geographics and interactions in the Aloha-land. In many parts of Hawaii, it is no longer the traditional Spam, white rice, and seaweed concoction. People are beginning to change it to accommodate their different food palates and healthier lifestyles. The meat is often substituted for chicken katsu, short ribs, barbeque chicken, or seasoned veggies as a vegetarian option. People who want healthier options even switch out the white rice for brown. The sauce has also been changed over time. Where it has usually been teriyaki sauce and/or furikake seasoning, it is now being switched for nori or oyster sauce, with vinegar, among other things. Brown rice has also been thrown into the mix, which is actually not a bad thing. Though the ingredients are changing, the traditional element of this dish is still being kept alive for the most part. You can find Spam Musubi any and everywhere in Hawaii.

Over time, I have tried to replicate my grandfather’s recipe again, but nothing came close to the real thing. When I ask for his assistance, he gives me a smile and replies “sorry Ronnie, one time deal.” So when choosing a recipe, I looked for something as close to my Dad’s as I can get.

Last Friday, I decided to start trying different Spam musubi recipes. I lied when I said Spam musubis were something simple because each time something was not quite right. It was always missing something. Though, after countless searches and a few tries with different recipes, I finally came to rest with one from the New York Times. As I was making this, I thought some things were familiar, the marinating of the Spam, the proportions, etc. However, when it was ready, I was truly amazed. It was almost like I was eating one of Dad’s musubis, but we all know “almost doesn’t count.” We have to take our wins where we can get them though, so of course the next day I had to make a fresh batch to take straight to the man himself.

“Dad, I did it!” I said as soon as I walked in the door holding the tupperware with the Spam deliciousness.

“Let me see,” he said, knowing immediately what I was referring to.

As I walk into the kitchen to plate the hot musubi for my grandfather, I am moving around like a madman unable to contain my excitement. I have been waiting for this for so long. I know it is not his but that is not stopping me from giving it to him like it is.

When I serve it to him, he looks from the plate, to me, then back to the plate and smiles. Then he bites it. At first, he had no reaction and I was scared, but then he said “Good job Ron, close,” and ate the whole thing! When I say my stomach dropped! I took that little comment and ran with it. I was so happy, I could not stop smiling, it was like I won an award or something. Then I made more for our family that same night.