Korean Spam Fried Rice (Crispy Spam Cubes with Egg and Rice)
Quick answer
Spam bokkeumbap is a Korean fried rice built around crispy cubes of pan-seared Spam, whose salty, caramelized edges give the dish an addictive quality.
What makes this special
- Spam dry-fried in its own rendered fat develops crispy, caramelized edges in this fried rice.
- Spam crisped first without oil to render its own fat for frying
- Soy sauce sizzled at the pan's edge disperses wok-hei throughout the rice
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Loosen 2 cups of cold cooked rice so there are no hard clumps.
- 2 Place the Spam in a dry pan over medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes, turning the cubes often.
- 3 Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to the same pan and pour in the 2 beaten eggs.
Spam bokkeumbap is a Korean fried rice built around crispy cubes of pan-seared Spam, whose salty, caramelized edges give the dish an addictive quality. The Spam is diced small and dry-fried without added oil - its own rendered fat crisps the outside while keeping the inside moist and savory. Onion and scallion go in next for aromatic depth, followed by cold leftover rice that is tossed over high heat until every grain picks up the salty pork flavor left in the pan. Beaten egg is scrambled into the rice, coating the grains in a thin, soft layer. A splash of soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil finish the dish with umami and nuttiness. The whole thing comes together in under ten minutes, making it one of the fastest comfort meals in the Korean home-cooking repertoire.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Loosen 2 cups of cold cooked rice so there are no hard clumps.
Cut 150 g Spam into 1 cm cubes, finely chop 80 g onion, slice 30 g green onion, and beat the 2 eggs lightly.
- 2Finish
Place the Spam in a dry pan over medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes, turning the cubes often.
When fat renders and the edges turn golden and crisp, transfer the Spam to a plate.
- 3Control
Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to the same pan and pour in the 2 beaten eggs.
Stir gently over medium low heat, then push them to one side while still slightly soft so they do not dry out.
- 4Control
Add the onion to the empty side of the pan and stir-fry over medium heat for 1 minute, until it smells sweet.
Cook until it looks translucent, because leftover moisture can make the fried rice soggy.
- 5Season
Raise the heat to high, then add the rice, browned Spam, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, spreading the rice instead of pressing it down so steam can escape and the grains stay separate.
- 6Season
Fold the egg evenly through the rice, then turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the green onion.
Check the saltiness before serving, and pair it with a little kimchi if the Spam tastes too salty.
After the steps
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