If there’s one dish that turns pantry staples into magic, it’s fried rice. And in the event you’ve by no means tried it with Spam, you’re lacking out on one of the comforting, salty-sweet, and satisfying meals you’ll be able to whip up in 20 minutes or much less. 

Why Spam?

After transferring to the US, I used to be stunned to search out that Spam usually will get a foul rap right here. However again in China, it’s a beloved ingredient for sizzling pot, dry pot, and on a regular basis cooking. Identical to you would possibly select various kinds of protein or tofu to your bowl or stir fry, Spam, or luncheon meat (午餐肉), is usually provided as one of many proteins that you may add to your dish. If you lower it up and pan fry it till golden crispy, it provides an unbeatable umami depth to fried rice that common ham and bacon simply can’t replicate.

Spam fried rice substances

Day previous rice

Jasmine rice and medium grain day previous rice work the perfect in Spam fried rice. A lot of these rice include much less starch than brief grain rice, so the grains separate properly throughout stir frying. By “day-old”, it merely signifies that the rice just isn’t freshly cooked and infrequently refers to leftovers that’ve been saved within the fridge for a day or two. When saved within the fridge, the rice will begin to lose moisture, making the grains dry out a bit. And that’s how one can get the grains to separate properly and toast till crispy when cooked within the pan.

Mise en place

If you’re able to prepare dinner, your desk ought to have:

• Blended sauce: we used Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil to create a balanced sauce that’s savory, nutty and barely candy. 
• Overwhelmed eggs: I like to have a LOT of eggs in my fried rice, so I used 4 eggs.
• Spam: I desire to make use of the low-sodium kind so my dish received’t find yourself too salty.
• Aromatics (sliced scallion and minced garlic): Contemporary aromatics are important for aromatic rice.
• Greens (onion, carrot, and peas): I used numerous greens on this recipe to counterbalance the depth of the Spam. Be at liberty to exchange the recent carrot with frozen to hurry up your prep. 
• Rice: Moist your arms and fluff the rice first, which helps the grains to crisp up in the course of the cooking course of.

Easy methods to prepare dinner Spam fried rice

1. Scramble the eggs and switch them to a plate. I prefer to scramble the eggs individually and add again later, for a pleasant tender texture. It additionally prevents “dyeing” the eggs with sauce, so that they preserve their yellow shade. 
2. Pan fry the Spam till crispy. Be affected person and flip the spam to crisp up as many sides as you’ll be able to. You’ll thank your self later. The cooking renders out some fats and turns the mushy Spam into tremendous crispy crunchy bits, which tastes 10 instances higher. 

3. Stir fry the greens, however not till too mushy. You’ll preserve cooking the rice for some time, so the greens might be cooked by means of later. It’s vital to not overcook the veggies for the perfect texture.
4. Transfer the veggies and Spam to at least one aspect, and prepare dinner the rice with the sauce on the opposite aspect of the pan. 

5. Lastly, add again the eggs and scallions, then combine the whole lot collectively to complete up.

Now you will have Spam fried rice with crispy chewy Spam, completely cooked rice, tender eggs, and crisp greens, all introduced along with the fragrant sauce. It’s an superior aspect dish to serve alongside your principal dish, nevertheless it additionally makes an exquisite one-pot meal by itself.

Spam fried rice is a kind of dishes that makes you are feeling like a genius prepare dinner with minimal effort. It’s quick, comforting, budget-friendly, and at all times hits the spot. Whether or not you’re making an attempt to filter your fridge or simply craving a late-night snack, this one-pan surprise delivers.

Different scrumptious fried rice recipes