Bonus Post: Musubi

Editor-in-Chief Howard Portnoy of Apple Eats offered me an incredible opportunity to write an article on the musubi, a popular snack in Hawai’i, its connection to the islands, and share two hallmark recipes. Apple Eats had written an article about a Hawaiian-Asian fusion restaurant in Manhattan called Noreetuh. They serve a variety of unique musubis, as well as other delicious dishes.

Apple Eats is a blog that reviews New York City’s restaurants and information about wine and spirits and provides great recipes, food news, and NYC food events.

The Musubi’s Origins

The musubi originates from Japan. Its literal meaning is something tied together. This is a staple dish in Hawai’i, especially the popular SPAM® musubi. SPAM® is luncheon meat packed in a rectangular aluminum can (AirtoHawaii, 2022). It’s made with a blend of pork (shoulder and ham), salt, sugar, water, potato starch, and sodium nitrite (Relle, 2019; Berg, 2021). 

The first mention of a musubi-type food in Japan was during the Nara Period (710-794 AD), when rice was quickly formed into small balls and eaten by hand. They were quick to prepare, simple to make, and convenient to eat (Kakimoto, 2017).

The style of the musubi changed during the Kamakura (1185-1333) and Edo (1603-1868) Periods. The rice was lightly salted, and nori (dried seaweed) was used to wrap and flavor the rice balls. Piquant foods like ume (salted, pickled plums), salty salmon, and konbu (edible kelp) were placed in the center of the musubi. This intensified the flavor and preserved the musubi (Kakimoto, 2017).

Hawai’i’s Connection to the Musubi

Kakimoto (2017) shares that the Japanese immigrants who worked in the plantation fields of Hawai’i helped create the SPAM® musubi. During World War II, the military brought SPAM® to Hawaiʻi. Food was scarce during the war. Hence, the Japanese used this luncheon meat to pair with rice balls. The first type of SPAM® musubi included layers of steamed white rice pressed into baking pans topped with thin slices of SPAM®. They resembled a cake, where they were sliced into squares and explicitly served during dinner.

AirtoHawaii (2022) introduces Mrs. Mitsuko Kaneshiro, a woman who made the SPAM® musubi very popular in Hawai’i. She initially began making them for her children. Further, she started selling them at a local drug store in Honolulu during the 1980s to earn an income, where they became a top seller.

The musubi formed its way into Hawaiʻi‘s history that stems from its cultural beginnings, comfort, and adaptability. Furthermore, the people of Hawaiʻi, regardless of race, feel a nostalgic connection to the musubi (Kakimoto, 2017). It brings me back to my childhood when my late paternal grandmother, granduncles, and grandaunt made this delicious snack. We would drive to the park or the beach during the late afternoon and eat them there while enjoying the outdoors. Another memory I have is bringing both SPAM® and plain musubis for lunch during school field trips. They were the most convenient food item to make that wouldn’t spoil without refrigeration. These sentiments are so momentous and dear to my heart. 

Additionally, many cultures have added their touches to creating their kind of musubi to resemble their specific background. For instance, adobo is a trendy dish in Filipino culture. Thus, the chicken adobo musubi was created. 

Today, the musubi is a versatile, fast, and practical snack with various toppings, garnishes, sauces, and shapes that satisfy everyone’s preferences. They’re even made with healthier rice options, like brown and multi-grain rice.

Featured Recipe #1: Vegan Teriyaki “Spam” Musubi

Recipe/Equipment: Yields 4-5 servings

Musubi:

• 2 cups Korean black rice (Sushi rice is preferred, but wanted to experiment with using a healthier type of rice)
• 2 cups water 
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon organic raw cane sugar 
• Korean nori, cut into strips as needed

Vegan “spam” + teriyaki sauce:

• 1 container extra firm organic tofu, cut into rectangles or using a cookie cutter to cut into unique shapes
• ¼ cup shoyu (aka soy sauce)
• ⅛ cup water
• ¼ cup vegan stir fry sauce
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for pan-frying)

• Measuring bowls, cups, and spoons
• Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
• Rice cooker
• Musubi molds
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Paper towels
• Cookie-cutter
• Airtight container
• Tongs
• Whisk
• Frying pan
• Spatula

Production Steps:

1. Sanitize kitchen (sink, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, phone, computer).
2. Wash rice in a rice cooker pot until the water runs clear.
3. Cook rice in the rice cooker.
4. Mise en place ingredients for the musubi.
5. Combine ingredients to make the musubi rice.
6. Heat briefly on low on the stovetop to dissolve the sugar.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. Gently fold sauce with the cooked rice.
9. Set aside.
10. Slice the nori into strips.
11. Mise en place ingredients for the vegan “spam” and teriyaki sauce.
12. Combine all ingredients to make the sauce.
13. Using the cookie cutter, cut out the firm tofu into shapes, or into squares or rectangles, depending on the shape of the rice ball.
14. Pat with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
15. Marinate the tofu in the teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes.
16. Coat a frying pan with sesame oil.
17. Pan-fry the tofu over low-medium heat.
18. Flip when the tofu resembles a golden brown color.
19. Repeat on the other side.
20. Remove from the heat.
21. Insert the rice into the musubi molds.
22. Make sure the rice is tightly packed in the mold before removing the compacted rice.
23. Place the vegan “spam” on top of the rice.
24. Place the nori strips horizontally, wrapping the musubi.
25. Serve immediately with ume (optional).

Featured Recipe #2: Hawaiian BBQ Salmon Musubi

Recipe/Equipment: Yields 4-5 servings

Musubi:

• 2 cups Japanese multi-grain rice (Sushi rice is preferred, but wanted to experiment with using a healthier type of rice)
• 2 cups water 
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon organic raw cane sugar 
• Korean nori, cut into strips as needed

Salmon + Hawaiian BBQ sauce:

• 1 wild salmon fillet
• ½ cup raw honey
• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• ⅛ cup shoyu
• 8 ounce crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• Avocado oil for pan-frying

• Measuring bowls, cups, and spoons
• Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
• Rice cooker
• Musubi molds
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Tongs
• Airtight container
• Frying pan
• Spatula

Production Steps:

1. Sanitize kitchen (sink, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, phone, computer).
2. Wash rice in a rice cooker pot until the water runs clear.
3. Cook rice in the rice cooker.
4. Mise en place ingredients for the musubi.
5. Combine ingredients to make the musubi rice.
6. Heat briefly on low on the stovetop to dissolve the sugar.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. Gently fold sauce with the cooked rice.
9. Set aside.
10. Slice the nori into strips.
11. Mise en place ingredients for the salmon and Hawaiian BBQ sauce.
12. Combine all ingredients to make the BBQ sauce.
13. Marinate the salmon in the BBQ sauce for one hour.
14. Coat a frying pan with avocado oil.
15. Pan-fry the salmon over medium-high heat.
16. Cook the salmon for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
17. Remove from the heat and allow the fish to cool.
18. Insert the rice into the musubi molds.
19. Make sure the rice is tightly packed in the mold before removing the compacted rice.
20. Place the cookie cutter onto the fish and cut out into the desired shape, or cut them into squares or rectangles, depending on the shape of the rice ball.
21. Place the shaped fish on top of the rice.
22. Place the nori strips horizontally, wrapping the musubi.
23. Serve immediately with ume (optional).

Health Benefits 

I chose Korean black rice and Japanese multi-grain rice because they’re healthier options than plain white rice. It also adds a different mouthfeel and flavor to the traditional musubi. I love a challenge, and I love to be unique.

The Gen-Ji-Mai™ multi-grain rice contains a multitude of grains, including the Gen-Ji-Mai™ Japanese whole-grain brown rice and 11 other grains: hull-less barley, rye berries, Jasmine brown rice, red rice, Calmat brown rice, black barley, long-grain red rice, black rice, whole oats, brown sweet, and wild rice. Kokate (n.d.) notes that rice, cereal, or grains (all the same) are plentiful in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and energy. Furthermore, these grains can also prevent certain diseases and minimize cancer risk.

Korean black rice is also referred to as “forbidden rice.” The color of the cereal isn’t black, per se, but a deep, dark purple color. This grain contains the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is included in blueberries and açai berries (Kimchimari, 2018). Additionally, these health benefits include lowering the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, and certain types of cancer (Carcea, 2021).

Mahalo again to Howard and Apple Eats for this amazing opportunity. I’m forever grateful.

Happy 4th!

FS x

Celebrate safely!

References

AirtoHawaii (2022). The spam musubi. Retrieved: https://www.airtohawaii.com/spam-musubi/

Berg, F. (2021). In other vital questions: What is spam made of? Retrieved: https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-spam-made-of

Carcea, M. (2021). Value of wholegrain rice in a healthy human nutrition. Agriculture 2021, 11, 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080720

Kakimoto, K. (2017). For the love of musubi: Hawai’i’s beloved handheld meal. Retrieved: https://7elevenhawaii.com/for-the-love-of-musubi/

Kimchimari (2018). Korean purple rice or black rice (heukmi bap). Retrieved: https://kimchimari.com/korean-purple-rice-heukmibap-black-rice/

Kokate, S. (n.d.). Nutritional value of multigrains. Retrieved: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dr-Kokate/publication/265602433_Nutritional_value_of_MULTIGRAINS/links/541640260cf2788c4b35bc8c/Nutritional-value-of-MULTIGRAINS.pdf

Relle (no last name). (2019). Spam musubi. Retrieved: https://keepingitrelle.com/spam-musubi/