[Palau's Spam Musubi]

Palau, which I visited during the holidays. "Spam musubi," made with the luncheon meat Spam, is immensely popular there as a local comfort food. It can be purchased at convenience stores, small kiosks, and local shops, and the most popular ones are said to sell out in the morning. Each shop has its own unique seasoning, and just looking at the pages featuring Spam musubi in a guidebook conveys their special attention to detail. When I visited the canned goods section of the "WCTC Shopping Center," the largest supermarket located in the center of Koror Island, the shelves were filled with an overwhelming volume and variety of Spam cans, the likes of which I had never seen in Japan. Spam, born in the United States, and Japan's traditional Omusubi. Why have these two ingredients from different origins joined together and taken such deep root in Palau?

Spam (SPAM®) is a canned luncheon meat launched in 1937 by Hormel Foods in the United States, made from five very simple ingredients: pork, salt, modified potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. The name Spam was coined by Ken Daigneau, the brother of a vice president at the time, who won a brand-naming contest, receiving a $100 prize and the honor of being the creator. World War II was the catalyst for Spam spreading to Pacific countries. At the time, Spam was adopted as an important field ration for the US military and was brought in large quantities to the Pacific region, which became the front line. After the war, on islands like Palau, which were heavily influenced by US military supplies, Spam was highly valued as a precious source of protein that could be stored at room temperature for a long period in tropical regions, and it naturally settled as a part of the local food culture.

Behind the background of Spam taking root locally and then combining with rice balls to evolve into "Spam musubi," there was a historical foundation unique to this region. Palau and Hawaii are regions that experienced periods of Japanese administration and a history of Japanese immigration in the first half of the 20th century. For this reason, a culture of eating white rice and a familiarity with rice balls and nori rolls had already naturally taken root among the locals. With a foundation of eating rice on a daily basis already in place, the introduction of Spam by the US military led to the birth of "Spam musubi," a fusion of Japanese and American food cultures. As people and cultures traveled between the islands, it spread widely and deeply in Palau as an everyday meal that allows for quick energy replenishment. The Spam musubi enjoyed in Palau is characterized by its hearty portion and rich seasoning. It is seasoned sweet and savory with soy sauce, sugar, or teriyaki sauce, grilled until fragrant, or the white rice is mixed with furikake. Furthermore, styles that sandwich a Japanese omelet together are frequently seen, and it continues to be loved as a staple local snack that offers plenty of satisfaction even with just one piece.

Since I was able to get some Spam at a neighborhood supermarket the other day, I immediately tried making a "Spam musubi-style" dish using Yamaichi's Pressed Sushi Box and regular white rice. The unpainted hinoki (cypress) pressed sushi box moderately absorbs excess moisture, preventing the rice from becoming sticky and ensuring that it remains plump and delicious even after it cools down. This is a simple recipe where the nori is topped on the very top without wrapping it around, but if you want to cut it and carry it like a rice ball, wrapping a thinly cut piece of nori around it once and then wrapping it in plastic wrap might make it look more like an authentic Spam musubi. Instead of the usual 8 pieces, I cut it into 4 pieces to match the width of the Spam, so you can enjoy a substantial volume. Please try it for bento lunches, outings, or parties where everyone gathers.

Ingredients:
1/2 can of Spam
1–2 eggs (Adjust depending on the size of the eggs)
Nori (Seaweed)
A small amount of mentsuyu (Noodle soup base)
Desired amount of white rice

Instructions:
1. Cut the nori into vertical strips with a width of 3cm, and overlap them to adjust the length if it is insufficient.
2. In a tamagoyaki pan, make two thin, three-folded Japanese omelets.
3. Slice the Spam into a thickness of about 7mm (4 slices).
4. Grill both sides in the tamagoyaki pan and coat with a small amount of mentsuyu.
5. Cut the thin omelets and Spam to match the width of the pressed sushi box (use the trimmings for fried rice, etc.).
6. Put the white rice into the pressed sushi box and press down, then add the thin omelet and Spam, and press down again.
7. Finally, place the nori in the center, and cut with a knife once the nori has settled.

Yamaichi's Pressed Sushi Box
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamaichi/oshi.html
Hasami's Plate Mini (The color in the photo is discontinued)
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hasami/plate.html

References
Chikyu no Arukikata Resort Style R10 Palau 2019-2020 (Chikyu no Arukikata Editorial Office)
https://www.spam-jp.com/what-is-spam/
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B9%E3%83%91%E3%83%A0%E3%82%80%E3%81%99%E3%81%B3