Hawaiians Love SPAM

This is a go to staple in my house. I have vivid memories of my mom cooking fried rice on a Saturday morning for breakfast. I think this was probably one of the first things I learned how to cook. I remember my mom teaching me how to measure and wash the rice. How to scramble eggs. How to test the oil to make sure it was hot enough. How to add ingredients and keep tasting until it was just right. This dish is so simple and easy to make, plus it only requires one pan. It is also incredibly versatile, you can literally add whatever you shave in your fridge. I usually make it breakfast style with eggs and bacon/SPAM, but you could easily add some frozen peas, carrots, or other veggies too. I always make sure I have the three ingredients for fried rice in my cupboard--soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. That's it. And of course, given I'm Asian, I always have rice on hand.

Now, you will notice that I use SPAM in my fried rice. I need to preface this recipe that this is not the same fried rice you'll get from your neighborhood Chinese takeout joint. This is Hawaiian style fried rice. It has a very different flavor and has the addition of the miraculous wonder meat SPAM. I know most of you have already started judging me because I east this mystery meat. I bet many of you are thinking "what is that stuff anyway," "is it even meat," "why is it shaped in a cube," "how does it have such a long expiration date?" These are all very legitimate questions, but if they stop you from trying the stuff, I think that's a huge loss. Don't judge it until you tried it. So far, my record is converting three haters/skeptics to lovers. I'm being serious, you need to try the stuff, prepared in the right way, and I promise you won't think it is half as bad as you expected.

Enjoy this breakfast fried rice for a hearty start to the day!

Hawaiian Fried Rice

• 3 c. rice, cooked
• 3 eggs
• 1 can SPAM (I like to use the lite version)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 c. light soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Sriracha (optional)
• Chopped green onions (optional)

While your rice is cooking, scramble and cook your eggs. Set aside in a medium bowl. Cut the SPAM into bite-sized cubes and fry in the same pan. Once finished, mix in with the eggs in the bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in the pan, you know it is hot enough when you add a few grains of cooked rice and they begin to sizzle. Once the oil is hot, add the rice and stir to coat. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha if you'd like (the measurements I listed are rough approximations, I just add to taste). Once all the sauces are mixed, stir in the eggs and SPAM. season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on some chopped green onions and serve.